S.  ;3.2.2.. 


Jl^rmn  tlrp  Cibrarg  of 

l^quf atl|pJi  by  lytm  to 

tljp  IGtbrarg  of 

Prtnrrton  Sli^nlogtral  Spmtnarg 


BV  4811  .S665  1868 
Spurgeon,  C.  H.  1834-1892. 
Evening  by  evening 


EVENING   BT  EVENING, 


EVENING  BY  EVENING; 


READINGS  AT  EVENTIDE. 


Jfor  tlje  J^aiuiig  qx  the  Closd 

(♦       MAR  13  1^52 
C.    H.    SPUBOEON.      ^<i^6lCAL  - 


•AUTHOR  OF  "MORNING  BY  MORNING,  '  ^'.SERMONS,"  &c. 


*'My  soul  shall  be  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fetnese  ;  and  my  mouth 
shall  praise  thee  with  joyful  lips;  when  I  remember  thea  upon  loy  bod 
and  meditate  on  thee  in  the  night  watches." 

Psalm  bdJi.'^  \ 


NEW  YORK  : 

ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS 

B30  BROADWA'f, 


PREFACE 


^|iWHEN  the  noise  and  turmoil  of  the  day  are  over, 
WH^  it  is  sweet  to  commune  with  God :  the  cool  and 
calm  of  eventide  agree  most  delightfully  witli 
prayer  and  praise.  Tlie  hours  of  the  declining  sun  are 
so  many  quiet  alleys  in  the  garden  of  time  wherein  man 
may  find  his  Maker  waiting  to  commune  with  him,  even 
as  of  old  the  Lord  God  walked  with  Adam  in  Paradise 
in  the  cool  of  the  day.  It  is  meet  that  we  should  set 
ajiart  a  peaceful  season  ere  tl)e  day  has  quite  departed, 
a  season  of  thanksgiving  for  grace  abounding,  of  re- 
pentance for  follies  multiplied,  of  self-examination  for 
evils  insinu:iting.  To  leap  from  day  to  day  like  a  mad 
hunter  scouring  the  fields,  is  an  omen  of  being  delivered 
over  to  destruction  ;  but  the  solemn  pause,  the  deliberate 
consideration  —  these  are  means  of  grace  and  ensigns  of 
an  indwelling  life.  The  tide  of  ocean  stays  a  while  at 
ebb  before  it  resolves  to  flood  again ;  the  moon  some- 
times lingers  at  the  full ;  there  are  distinct  hedges  in 
nature  set  betweou  the  acres  of  time  —  even  the  strik(3 
of  the  bell  is  a  little  mound  of  warning:  men  should 
not  remove  landmarks,  but  beat  the  bounds  frequently 
a*  (») 


VI  PREFACE. 

and  keep  up  w.th  due  interval  and  solemnity  the  remem- 
brance of  the  passing  away  of  days,  and  montlis,  and 
years:  each  evening  it  were  well  to  traverse  the  bounda- 
ries of  the  day,  and  take  note  of  all  it  has  brought  and 
all  it  has  seen. 

The  drops  of  the  night  come  from  the  same  fount  as  the 
dew  of  the  morning :  he  who  met  Abraham  at  break  of 
day  communed  with  Isaac  in  the  field  at  eventide.  He 
who  opens  the  doors  of  the  day  with  the  hand  of  mere} 
draws  around  His  people  the  curtains  of  the  night,  and 
by  His  shining  presence  makes  the  outgoings  of  the 
morning  and  of  the  evening  to  rejoice.  A  promise  at 
dawn,  and  a  sure  word  at  sunset,  crown  the  brow  of 
day  with  light,  and  sandal  its  feet  with  love.  To  break- 
fast with  Jesus  and  to  sup  with  him  also,  is  to  enjoy 
the  days  of  heaven  upon  the  earth.  It  is  dangerous  to 
fall  a.sleep  till  the  head  is  leaned  on  Jesus'  bosom.  When 
divine  love  puts  its  finger  on  the  weary  eyelids,  it  is  brave 
sleeping;  but  that  the  Lord's  beloved  may  have  such 
sleep  given  to  him,  it  is  needful  that  he  should  make  a 
near  approach  to  the  throne,  and  unburden  his  soul  be- 
fore the  great  Preserver  of  men.  To  enter  into  the  blaze 
of  Jehovah's  presence  by  the  way  of  the  atoning  blood 
is  the  sure  method  to  i-efine  ourselves  of  earthly  dross, 
and  to  renew  the  soul  after  exhausting  service.  The  read- 
ing of  the  word,  and  prayer,  are  as  gates  of  carbuncle 
to  admit  us  into  the  presence  chamber  of  T!ie  August 
Majesty,  and  he  is  most  blessed  who  most  frequently 
swings  those  gates  upon  their  sapphire  hinges.  When 
the  stars  are  revealed,  and  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  walk 


PREFACE.  Vii 

in  golden  glory,  tl  en  surely  is  the  time  when  the  solemn 
temple  is  lit  up,  and  the  worshipper  is  bidden  to  enter. 
If  one  hour  can  be  endowed  with  a  sacredness  above 
its  fellows,  it  must  be  the  hour  when  the  Lord  looseth 
the  bnnds  of  Orion,  and  leadcth  forth  Arcturus  and  his 
sons :  then  voices  from  worlds  afar  call  us  to  contem- 
plation and  adoration,  and  the  stillness  of  the  lower  worlc 
prepares  an  oratory  for  the  devout  soul.  He  surely  nevei 
prays  at  all  who  does  not  end  the  day  as  all  men  wish 
to  end  their  lives  —  in  prayer. 

In  many  households  the  gathering  of  the  family  for 
evening  prayer  is  more  easy  than  the  morning  oppor- 
tunity, and  in  all  the  tents  of  our  Israel  the  evening 
sacrifice  should  be  solemnly  remembered.  Ere  we  cower 
down  beneath  the  wings  of  the  Eternal,  let  us  entreat 
Him  to  deliver  us  from  the  terror  by  night,  and  give  us 
safe  dwelling  in  His  secret  place.  It  is  blessed  work  to 
set  the  night  warders  in  their  posts  by  supplication,  and 
then  commit  ourselves  without  fear  to  the  embraces  of 
divine  love. 

Having  had  the  seal  of  our  Master's  blessing  set  upon 
our  former  volume,  entitled  "  Morning  by  Morning,"  we 
have  felt  encouraged  to  give  our  best  attention  to  the 
present  series  of  brief  meditations,  and  we  send  them 
forth  with  importunate  prayer  for  a  blessing  to  rest 
upon  every  reader.  Already  more  than  twenty  thousand 
readers  are  among  our  morning  fellow-worshippers.  Oh 
that  all  may  receive  grace  from  the  Lord  by  means  of 
the  portion  read;  and  when  a  similai-  number  shall  bo 
gathered  to  read  the  even'ng  selection,  may  the  Father'a 


Vm  PREFACE. 

Binile  be  their  benison.  We  have  striven  to  keep  oat.  of 
the  common  track,  and  hence  we  have  used  unusual  texts, 
and  have  brought  forward  neglected  subjects.  The  vice 
of  many  religions  works  is  their  dulness  —  from  this  we 
have  striven  to  be  free :  our  friends  must  judge  how  far 
successfully.  Out  of  our  own  experience  we  have  drawn 
much  of  our  matter,  and  we  have  always  felt  assured 
that  a  truth  which  has  been  sanctified  to  our  own  good 
will  not  be  without  an  unction  for  others.  If  we  may 
lead  one  heart  upward  which  otherwise  had  drooped,  or 
sow  in  a  single  mind  a  holy  purpose  which  else  had 
never  been  conceived,  we  shall  be  grateful.  The  Lord 
send  us  such  results  in  thousands  of  instances,  and  His 
shall  be  all  the  praise.  The  longer  we  live,  the  more 
deeply  are  we  conscious  that  the  Holy  Spirit  alone  can 
make  truth  profitable  to  the  heart;  and  therefore  in. ear- 
nest prayer  we  commit  this  volume  and  its  companion  to 
His  care. 

C.  H.  SpusaBON. 
Mat,  18S8. 


Jan.    1.  ETENINO    BEADINGS. 


"  We  will  he  glad  and  rg'oice  in  thee."  —  Canticles  i.  4. 

^I<|:^,E  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  Thee.  ^We  will  not 
Ml  m/i  open  the  gates  of  the  year  to  the  dolorous  notes  of 
*^^^  the  sackbut,  but  to  the  sweet  strains  of  the  harp 
of  joy,  and  the  high  sounding  cymbals  of  gladness.  "  0 
come,  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord :  let  us  make  a  joyful  noise 
unto  the  rock  of  our  salvation."  We,  the  called,  and  faith- 
ful, and  chosen,  tue  will  drive  away  our  griefs,  and  set  up 
our  banners  of  confidence  in  the  name  of  God.  Let  others 
lament  over  their  troubles,  we  who  have  the  sweetening  tree 
to  cast  into  Marah's  bitter  pool,  with  joy  will  magnify  the 
Lord.  Eternal  Spirit,  our  effectual  Comforter,  we  who  are 
the  temples  in  which  Thou  dwellest,  will  never  cease  from 
adoring  and  blessing  the  name  of  Jesus.  We  will  ;  we  are 
resolved  about  it ;  Jesus  must  have  the  crown  of  our  heart's 
delight;  we  will  not  dishonor  our  Bridegroom  by  mourning 
in  His  presence.  We  are  ordained  to  be  the  minstrels  of 
the  skies ;  let  us  rehearse  our  everlasting  anthem  before  we 
sinor  it  in  the  halls  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  We  will  be 
GLAD  AND  REJOICE  :  two  words  with  one  sense,  double  joy, 
blessedness  upon  blessedness.  Need  there  be  any  limit  to 
our  rejoicing  in  the  Lord  even  now  ?  Do  not  men  of  grace 
find  their  Lord  to  be  camphire  and  spikenard,  calamus  and 
cinnamon,  even  now,  and  what  better  fragrance  have  they  in 
-heaven  itself?  We  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  Thee.  That 
last  word  is  the  meat  in  the  dish,  the  kernel  of  the  nut,  tho 
soul  of  the  text.  What  heavens  are.  laid  up  in  Jesus ! 
What  rivers  of  infinite  bliss  have  their  scurce,  ay,  and 
every  drop  of  their  fulness  in  Him  !  Since,  0  sweet  Lord 
Jesus,  Thou  art  the  present  portion  of  Thy  people,  favor  us 
this  year  with  such  a  sense  of  Thy  precioasness,  that  from 
its  first  to  its  last  day,  we  may  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  Thee. 
Let  January  open  with  joy  in  the  Lord,  and  December  close 
with  gladness  in  Jesus. 


EVENING    READINGS.  Jan.   2 


"  Let  the  people  renew  their  strength.'  —  Isaiah  xli.  1. 

P^LL  things  on  earth  need  to  be  renewed.  No  created 
thing  continueth  by  itself.  "  Thou  renewest  the 
face  of  the  year,"  was  the  Psalmist's  utterance. 
Even  the  trees,  which  wear  noc  themselves  with  care,  nor 
shorten  their  lives  with  labor,  must  drink  of  the  rain  of 
heaven,  and  suck  from  the  hidden  treasures  of  the  soil.  The 
cedars  of  Lebanon,  which  God  has  planted,  only  live  because 
day  by  day  they  are  full  of  sap  fresh  drawn  from  the  earth. 
Neither  can  man's  life  be  sustained  without  renewal  from 
God.  As  it  is  necessary  to  repair  the  waste  of  the  body  by 
the  frequent  meal,  so  we  must  repair  the  waste  of  the  soul 
by  feeding  upon  the  Book  of  God,  or  by  listening  to  the 
preached  Word,  or  by  the  soul-fattening  table  of  the  ordi- 
nances. IIow  depressed  are  our  graces  when  means  are 
neglected !  What  poor  starvelings  some  saints  are  who  live 
without  the  diligent  use  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  secret 
prayer !  If  our  piety  can  live  without  God,  it  is  not  of 
divine  creating ;  it  is  but  a  dream ;  for  if  God  had  begot- 
ten it,  it  would  wait  upon  Him  as  the  flowers  wait  upon  the 
dew.  Without  constant  restoration  we  are  not  ready  for  the 
perpetual  assaults  of  hell,  or  the  stern  afflictions  of  heaven, 
or  even  for  the  strifes  within.  When  the  whirlwind  shall  be 
loosed,  woe  to  the  tree  that  hath  not  sucked  up  fresh  sap, 
and  grasped  the  rock  with  many  intertwisted  roots.  When 
tempests  arise,  woe  to  the  mariners  that  have  not  strength- 
ened their  mast,  nor  cast  their  anchor,  nor  sought  the  haven. 
If  we  suffer  the  good  to  grow  weaker,  the  evil  will  surely 
gather  strength  and  struggle  desperately  for  the  mastery 
over  us  ;  and  so,  mayhap,  a  painful  desolation,  and  a  lament- 
able disgrace  may  follow.  Let  us  draw  near  to  the  footstool 
of  divine  m^rcy  in  humble  entreaty,  and  we  shall  realize  the 
fulfilment  of  tlie  promise,  "  They  that  wait  on  the  Lord  shall 
ronew  their  strength.'' 


/an.  8.  EVENING    READINGS. 


"  The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the  way 
of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight."  —  Luke  iii.  4. 

^^I^^HE  voice  crying  in  the  wilderness  demanded  a  way 
^riKJ*^  f^^  '^'^  ^^^'^1  ^  '^'^^y  prepared,  and  a  tvay  prepared  in 
'^~^  the  wilderness.  I  w(5uld  be  attentive  to  the  Master's 
proclamation,  and  give  Him  a  road  into  ray  heart,  cast  up  by 
gracious  operations,  through  the  desert  of  my  nature.  The 
four  directions  in  the  text  must  have  my  serious  attention. 

Every  valley  must  be  exalted.  Low  and  grovelling  thoughts 
of  God  must  be  given  up  ;  doubting  and  despairing  must  be 
removed ;  and  self-seeking  and  carnal  delights  must  be  for- 
saken. Across  these  deep  valleys  a  glorious  causeway  of 
grace  must  be  raised. 

Every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  laid  low.  Proud  creature - 
sufficiency,  and  boastful  self-righteousness,  must  be  levelled, 
to  make  a  highway  for  the  King  of  kings.  Divine  fellowship 
is  never  vouchsafed  to  haughty,  high-minded  sinners.  The 
Lord  hath  respect  unto  the  lowly,  and  visits  the  contrite  in 
heart,  but  the  lofty  are  an  abomination  unto  Him.  My  soul, 
beseech  the  Holy  Spirit  to  set  thee  right  in  this  respect. 

The  crooked  shall  be  made  straight.  The  wavering  heart 
must  have  a  straight  path  of  decision  for  God  and  holiness 
marked  out  for  it.  Double-minded  men  are  strangers  to  the 
God  of  truth.  My  soul,  take  heed  that  thou  be  in  all  things 
honest  and  true,  as  in  the  sight  of  the  heart-searching  God. 

The  rough  places  shall  be  made  smooth.  Stumbling-blocks 
of  sin  must  be  removed,  and  thorns  and  briers  of  rebellion 
must  be  uprooted.  So  great  a  visitor  must  not  find  miry 
ways  and  stony  places  when  He  comes  to  honor  His  favored 
ones  with  His  company.  Oh  that  this  evening  the  Lord  may 
find  in  my  heart  a  higliway  made  ready  by  His  grace,  that  He 
may  make  a  triumphal  progress  through  the  utmost  bouuds  of 
my  soul,  from  the  beginning  of  this  year  even  to  the  end  of  it 


i  EVENING    READINGS.  Jan.  4 

"  Joseph  Imew  his  brethren,  but  they  Jcneio  not  him."  —  Gen.  xlii.  8. 

i^\IIIS  morning  our  desires  went  forth  for  growth  in  oui 
ll  acquaintance  with  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  it  may  be  well  to 
night  to  consider  a  kindred  topic,  namely,  our  heav- 
enli)  Joseph's  knowledge  of  us.  This  was  most  blessedly 
jierfect  long  before  we  had  the  slightest  knowledge  of  Him. 
"  His  eyes  beheld  our  substance,  yet  being  imperfect,  and  in 
His  book  all  our  members  were  written,  when  as  yet  there 
was  none  of  them."  Before  we  had  a  being  in  the  world  we 
had  a  being  in  His  heart.  When  we  were  enemies  to  Him, 
He  knew  us,  our  misery,  our  madness,  and  our  wickedness. 
When  we  wept  bitterly  in  despairing  repentance,  and  viewed 
him  only  as  a  >udge  and  a  ruler.  He  viewed  us  as  His  breth- 
ren well  beloved,  and  His  bowels  yearned  towards  us.  He 
never  mistook  His  chosen,  but  always  beheld  them  as  objects 
of  His  infinite  aifection.  "  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are 
His,"  is  as  true  of  the  prodigals  who  are  feeding  swine  as  of 
the  children  who  sit  at  the  table. 

But,  alas  !  we  knew  not  our  royal  Brother.,  and  out  of  thi.' 
Ignorance  grew  a  host  of  sins.  We  withheld  our  hearts  fron 
Him,  and  allowed  Him  no  entrance  to  our  love.  We  mis  • 
trusted  Him,  and  gave  no  credit  to  His  words.  We  rebellec^i 
against  Him,  and  paid  Him  no  loving  homage.  The  Sun 
of  Righteousness  shone  forth,  and  we  could  not  see  Him. 
Heaven  came  down  to  earth,  and  earth  perceived  it  not.  Le^ 
God  be  praised,  those  days  are  over  with  us ;  yet  even  noT 
it  is  but  little  that  we  know  of  Jesus  compared  with  what  H  ^ 
knows  of  us.  We  hav^  but  begun  to  study  Him,  but  H  t 
knoweth  us  altogether.  It  is  a  blessed  circumstance  that  the 
ignorance  is  not  on  [lis  side,  for  then  it  would  be  a  hopele  13 
case  for  us.  He  will  not  say  to  us,  "  I  never  knew  you,"  \  it 
He  will  coniess  our  names  in  the  day  of  His  appearing,  a  h1 
meanwhile  will  manifest  Himself  to  us  as  He  doth  not  u/  ^'\ 
ihe  world. 


Jan  5.  EVENixo  readinos. 


'  And  God  saw  the  ligld." —  Genesis  i.  4. 


^Ij^aHIS  morning  we  noticed  tlic  goodness  of  the  light. 
irr  7K  ^^^  *'^^  Lord's  dividing  it  from  the  darkness  ;  we  now 
'^^^''^  note  tlie  special  eye  which  the  Lord  had  for  tlie  light. 
"God  saw  the  light"  —  He  looked  at  it  with  coni])lacency, 
gazed  upon  it  with  pleasure,  saw  that  it  "  was  good."  If  the 
Lord  has  given  you  light,  dear  reader,  He  looks  on  that  light, 
with  peculiar  interest;  for  not  only  is  it  dear  to  Ilim  as  Ilia 
own  handiwork,  but  because  it  is  like  Himself,  for  "  He  is 
light."  Pleasant  it  is  to  the  believer  to  know  that  God's  eye 
is  thus  tenderly  observant  of  that  work  of  grace  which  lie 
has  begun.  He  never  loses  sight  of  the  treasure  which  He 
has  placed  in  our  earthen  vessels.  Sometimes  xoe  cannot  see 
the  light,  but  God  always  sees  the  liglit,  and  that  is  much 
better  than  our  seeing  it.  Better  for  the.  judge  to  see  my 
innocence  than  for  me  to  think  I  see  it.  It  is  very  comforta- 
ble for  me  to  krow  that  I  am  one  of  God's  people  —  but 
whether  /  know  it  or  not,  if  the  Lord  knows  it,  I  am  still 
safe.  This  is  the  foundation,  "  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that 
are  His."  You  may  be  sighing  aud  groaning  because  of  in- 
bred sin,  and  mourning  over  your  darkness,  yet  the  Lord  sees 
"light"  in  your  heart,  for  He  has  put  it  there,  aud  all  the 
cloudiness  aud  gloom  of  your  soul  cannot  conceal  your  light 
from  His  gracious  eye.  You  may  have  sunk  low  in  despon- 
dency, and  even  despair ;  but  if  your  soul  has  any  longing 
towards  Christ,  and  if  you  are  seeking  to  rest  in  His  finished 
work,  God  sees  the  "  light."  He  not  only  sees  it,  but  He  also 
preserves  it  in  you.  "  I,  the  Lord,  do  keep  it."  This  is  a 
precious  thought  to  those  who,  after  anxious  watching  and 
guarding  of  themselves,  feel  their  own  powerlessncss  to  do 
so.  The  liglit  thus  preserved  by  His  grace.  He  will  one  day 
develop  into  the  splendor  of  noonday,  aud  the  fulness  of 
glory.  The  light  within  is  tlie  dawn  of  the  eternal  day.  • 
1* 


EVENING    HEADINGS.  Jan.  6. 

'  Now  the  Jiand  of  the  Lord  was  npon  me  in  the  evening." 
Ezek.  xxxiii.  22. 

T]tN  the  way  of  judgment  this  may  be  the  case,  and,  if 
1':^  so,  be  it  mine  to  consider  the  reason  of  such  a  visita- 
tion, and  hear  the  rod  and  Him  that  hath  appointed 
I  am  n:t  the  only  one  who  is  chastened  in  the  night  sea- 
;  let  me  cheerfully  submit  to  the  affliction,  and  carefully 
endeavor  to  be  profited  thereby.  But  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
may  also  be  felt  in  another  manner,  strengthening  the  soul  and 
lifting  the  spirit  upward  towards  eternal  things.  Oh  that  I 
may  in  this  sense  feel  the  Lord  dealing  with  me  !  A  sense  of 
the  divine  presence  and  indwelling  bears  the  soul  towards 
heaven  as  upon  the  wings  of  eagles.  At  such  times  we  are 
full  to  the  brim  with  spiritual  joy,  and  forget  the  cares  and 
sorrows  of  earth  ;  the  invisible  is  near,  and  the  visible  loses 
its  power  over  us ;  the  servant-body  waits  at  the  foot  of  the 
hrll,  and  the  master-spirit  worships  upon  the  summit  in  the 
presence  of  the  Lord.  Oh,  that  a  hallowed  season  of  divine 
communion  may  be  vouchsafed  to  me  this  evening !  The 
Lord  knows  that  I  need  it  very  greatly.  My  graces  languish, 
my  corruptions  rage,  my  faith  is  weak,  my  devotion  is  cold  : 
all  these  are  reasons  why  His  healing  hand  should  be  laid 
upon  me.  His  hand  can  cool  the  heat  of  my  burning  brow, 
and  stay  the  tumult  of  my  palpitating  heart.  That  glorious 
right  hand  which  moulded  the  world  can  new-create  my  mmd  ; 
the  unwearied  hand  which  bears  the  earth's  huge  pillars  up 
t^an  sustain  my  spirit ;  the  loving  hand  which  encloses  all  the 
saints  can  cherish  me ;  and  the  mighty  hand  which  breaketh 
in  pieces  the  enemy  can  subdue  my  sins.  Why  should  I  not 
leel  that  hand  touching  me  this  evening  ?  Come,  my  sf  il, 
address  thy  God  with  the  potent  plea,  that  Jesu's  hands  were 
pierced  for  thy  redemption,  and  thou  shalt  surely  feel  that 
same  hand  upon  ihec  which  once  touched  Daniel  and  set  hinj 
upon  his  knees  tl.at  he  might  see  visions  of  God. 


Jan.   7.  EVENING    BEADIN08. 


"My  sister,  my  spotise."  —  Canticles  iv.  12. 


,]|?!|j'^BSKllVE  the  sweet  titles  with  which  the  heavenly 
Solomon,  with  intense  affection,  addresses  his  bride, 
*-^^  the  church.  My  sister,  one  near  to  me  by  ties  of 
nature,  partaker  of  the  same  sympathies.  Afy  spouse,  near- 
est and  dearest,  united  to  me  by  the  tondcrest  bands  of  love  ; 
my  sweet  companion,  part  of  my  own  self.  Jify  sister,  by  my 
Incarnation,  which  makes  me  bone  of  thy  bone  and  flesh  of 
thy  flesh  ;  my  spouse,  by  heavenly  betrothal,  in  which  I  have 
espoused  thee  unto  myself  in  righteousness.  Jify  sister,  whom 
I  knew  of  old,  and  over  whom  I  watched  from  her  earliest 
infancy ;  my  spouse,  taken  from  among  the  daughters,  em- 
braced by  arms  of  love,  and  affianced  unto  me  forever.  See 
how  true  it  is  that  our  royal  Kinsman  is  not  ashamed  of  us, 
for  He  dwells  with  manifest  delight  upon  this  two-fold  rela- 
tionship. We  have  the  word  "my"  twice  in  our  version  ; 
as  if  Christ  dwelt  with  rapture  on  His  possession  of  His 
church.  "His  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men,"  because 
those  sons  of  men  were  His  own  chosen  ones.  He,  the  Shep- 
herd, sought  the  sheep,  because  they  were  His  sheep  ;  He 
has  gone  about  "  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost," 
because  that  which  was  lost  vras  His  long  before  it  was  lost 
to  itself  or  lost  to  Him.  The  church  is  the  exclusive  portion 
of  her  Lord;  none  else  may  claim  a  partnership,  or  pretend 
to  share  her  love.  Jesus,  thy  church  delights  to  have  it  so  I 
Let  every  believing  soul  drink  solace  out  of  these  wells. 
Soul !  Christ  is  near  to  thee  in  ties  of  relationship ;  Christ  is 
dear  to  thee  in  bonds  of  marriage  union,  and  thou  art  dear 
to  Him  ;  behold.  He  grasps  both  of  thy  hands  with  both  His 
own,  saying,  "  My  sister,  my  spouse."  Mark  the  two  sacred 
holdfa.sts  by  which  thy  Lord  gets  such  a  double  hold  of  thee 
that  He  neither  can  nor  will  ever  let  thee  go.  lie  not,  0 
beloved,  slow  to  return  the  hallowed  flume  of  His  love. 


EVENING    BEADINGS.  Jan.  8. 


Thy  love  is  better  than  wine."  —  Canticles  i.  2. 

4 


'OTHING  gives  the  believer  so  much  joy  as  fellowshtp 
with  Christ.  He  has  enjoyment  as  others  have  in 
the  connuon  mercies  of  life,  he  can  be  jilivd  both  in 
God's  gifts  and  God's  works  ;  but  in  all  these  separately, yea, 
and  in  all  of  them  added  together,  he  doth  not  find  such  sub- 
stantial delight  as  in  the  matchless  person  of  his  Lord  Jesus. 
He  has  wine  which  no  vineyard  on  earth  ever  yielded;  he  has 
bread  wiiich  all  the  cornfields  of  I'^gypt  could  never  bring 
forth.  Where  can  such  sweetness  be  found  as  we  have  tasted 
in  communion  with  our  Beloved  ?  In  our  esteem,  the  joys 
of  earth  are  little  better  than  husks  for  swine  compared  with 
Jesus,  the  -heavenly  manna.  We  would  rather  have  one 
mouthful  of  Christ's  love,  and  a  sip  of  His  fellowship,  than  a 
whole  world  full  of  carnal  delights.  What  is  the  chaff  to  the 
wheat?  What  is  the  sparkling  paste  to  the  true  diamond? 
What  is  a  dream  to  the  glorious  reality?  What  is  time's 
mirth,  in  its  best  trim,  compared  to  our  Lord  Jesus  in  His 
most  despised  estate  ?  If  you  know  anything  of  the  inner 
life,  you  will  confess  that  our  highest,  purest,  and  most  en- 
during joys  must  be  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life  which  is  in 
the  midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God.  No  spring  yields  such 
sweet  water  as  that  well  of  God  which  was  digged  with  the  sol- 
dier's spear.  All  earthly  bliss  is  of  the  earth  earthy,  but  the 
comforts  of  Christ's  presence  are  like  Himself,  heavenly.  We 
can  review  our  communion  with  Jesus,  and  find  no  regrets  of 
emptiness  therein  ;  there  are  no  dregs  in  this  wine,  no  dead 
flies  in  this  ointment.  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  solid  and  en- 
during. Vanity  hath  not  looked  upon  it,  but  discretion  and 
prudence  testify  that  it  abideth  the  test  of  years,  and  is  in  time 
and  in  eternity  worthy  to  be  called  "  the  only  true  delight." 
For  nourishment,  consolation,  exhilaration,  and  refreshment, 
no  wine  can  rival  the  love  of  Jesus.  Let  us  drink  to  the  full 
this  evening. 


Jan.  9.  ETENINO    RRADIN08.  B 

"  Serve  the  Lord  with  gladness."  —  Psalm  c.  2. 

g^SS^^ELIGHT  in  divine  service  is  a  token  of  acceptance. 
•  ^^[^^  Those  who  serve  God  with  a  sad  countenance,  be- 
^^''^  cause  they  do  what  is  unpleasant  to  them,  are  not 
serving  Ilim  at  all ;  they  bring  the  form  of  homage,  but  the 
life  is  absent.  Our  God  requires  no  slaves  to  grace  Ilia 
throne ;  He  is  the  Lord  of  the  empire  of  love,  and  would 
have  His  sorvants  dressed  in  the  livery  of  joy.  The  angels  of 
God  serve  Him  with  songs,  not  with  groans  ;  a  murmur  or  a 
sigh  would  be  a  mutiny  in  their  ranks.  That  obedience  which 
is  not  voluntary  is  disobedience,  for  the  Lord  looketh  at  the 
heart,  and  if  He  seeth  that  we  serve  Him  from  force,  and  not 
because  we  love  Him,  He  will  reject  our  offering.  Service 
coupled  with  cheerfulness  is  heart-service,  and  therefore  true. 
Take  away  joyful  willingness  from  the  Christian,  and  you  have 
removed  the  test  of  his  sincerity.  If  a  man  be  driven  to  bat- 
tle, he  is  no  patriot ;  but  he  who  marches  into  the  fray  with 
flashing  eye  and  beaming  face,  singing,  "  It  is  sweet  for  one's 
country  to  die,"  proves  himself  to  be  sincere  in  his  patriot- 
ism. Cheerfulness  is  the  support  of  our  strength;  in  the  joy 
of  the  Lord  are  we  strong.  It  acts  as  the  remover  of  difficul- 
ties. It  is  to  our  service  what  oil  is  to  the  wheels  of  a  rail 
way  carriage.  Without  oil  the  axle  soon  grows  hot,  and  ac- 
cidents occur  ;  and  if  there  be  not  a  holy  cheerfulness  to  oil 
our  wheels,  our  spirits  will  be  clogged  with  weariness.  The 
man  who  is  cheerful  in  his  service  of  God,  proves  that  obe- 
dience is  his  element ;  he  can  sing,  — 

"  Make  me  to  walk  in  Thy  commandB, 
'Tia  a  delightful  road." 

Reader,  let  us  put  this  qiies*;ion  —  Do  you  serve  the  Lord  xoith 
gladness  ?  Let  us  show  to  the  people  of  the  world,  who  thluk 
our  religion  to  be  slavery,  ^hat  it  is  to  us  a  delight  and  a  joy  t 
Let  our  gladness  proclaim  th**  we  serve  a  good  Master. 


10  ETENING    READINGS.  J  30.    10 

"In  my  flesh  shall  I  see  Ood."  —  Job  xix.  26. 

S^¥?P)ARK  the  subject  of  Job's  devout  anticipation  —  "I 
QJr)||||  sball  see  God."  He  does  not  say,  "  I  shall  see  the 
^^  r  saints,"  —  though  doubtless  that  will  be  untold  felici- 
ty,—  but  "I  shall  see  God."  It  is  not,  "I  shall  see  the 
pearly  gates,  I  shall  behold  the  walls  of  jasper,  I  shall  gaze 
upon  the  crcwns  of  gold,"  but  "  I  shall  see  God."  This  is 
the  sum  and  substance  of  heaven,  this  is  the  joyful  hope  of 
all  believers.  It  is  their  delight  to  see  Him  now  in  the  ordi- 
nances by  faith.  They  love  to  behold  Him  in  communion  and 
in  prayer;  but  there  in  heaven  they  shall  have  an  open  and 
unclouded  vision,  and  thus  seeing  "  Him  as  He  is,"  shall  be 
made  completely  like  Him.  Liheness  to  God  —  what  can  we 
wish  for  more  ?  And  a  sight  of  God  —  what  can  we  desire 
better  ?  Some  read  the  passage,  "  Yet,  I  shall  see  God  in 
my  flesh,"  and  find  here  an  allusion  to  Christ,  as  the  "  Word 
made  flesh,"  and  that  glorious  beholding  of  Him  which  shall 
be  the  splendor  of  the  latter  days.  Whether  so  or  not,  it  is 
certain  that  Christ  shall  be  the  object  of  our  eternal  vision  ; 
Dor  shall  we  ever  want  any  joy  beyond  that  of  seeing  Him. 
Think  not  that  this  will  be  a  narrow  sphere  for  the  mind  to 
dwell  in.  It  is  but  one  source  of  delight,  but  that  source  is 
infinite.  All  His  attributes  shall  be  subjects  for  contempla- 
tion, and  as  He  is  infinite  under  each  aspect,  there  is  no  fear 
of  exhaustion.  His  works.  His  gifts.  His  love  to  us,  and  His 
glory  in  all  His  purposes,  and  in  all  His  actions,  these  shall 
make  a  theme  which  will  be  ever  new.  The  patriarch  looked 
forward  to  this  sight  of  God  as  a  personal  enjoyment.  "  Whom 
mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another."  Take  realizing 
views  of  heaven's  bliss  ;  think  what  it  will  be  to  you.  '■'■Tliim 
eyes  shall  see  the  King  in  His  beauty."  All  earthly  bright- 
ness fades  and  darkens  as  we  gaze  upon  it,  but  here  is  a 
brightness  which  can  never  dim,  a  glory  which  cau  nevei 
fade  —  "  /  shall  see  God.'' 


Jan.   11.  ETENTNO    HEADINGS.  11 

"  1  have  -prayed for  thee."  —  Luke  xxii.  32. 

jI^I^OW  encouraging  is  the  thought  of  the  Redeemer's 
^'^  never-ceasing  intercession  for  us.  When  wc  pray, 
He  pleads  for  us ;  and  when  we  arc  not  praying,  He  is 
advocating  our  cause,  and  by  His  supplications  shielding  ua 
from  flnseen  dangers.  Notice  the  word  of  comfort  addressed 
t^P«ter  —  "  Simon,  Simon,  Satan  bath  desired  to  have  you 
that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat ;  but "  —  what  ?  "  But  go  and 
pray  for  yourself."  That  would  be  good  advice,  but  it  is  not 
so  written.  Neither  does  He  say,  "  But  I  will  keep  you 
watchful,  and  so  you  shall  be  preserved."  That  were  a  great 
blessing.  No,  it  is,  "  But  I  have  sprayed  for  thee,  that  thy 
faith  fail  not."  We  little  know  what  we  owe  to  our  Saviour's 
prayers.  When  we  reach  the  hill-tops  of  heaven,  and  look 
back  upon  all  the  way  whereby  the  Lord  our  God  hath  led 
us,  how  we  shall  praise  Him  who,  before  the  eternal  throne, 
undid  the  mischief  which  Satan  was  doing  upon  earth.  How 
shall  we  thank  Him  because  He  never  held  His  peace,  but 
day  and  night  pointed  to  the  wounds  upon  His  hands,  and 
carried  our  names  upon  His  breastplate  !  Even  before  Sa- 
tan had  begun  to  tempt,  Jesus  had  forestalled  him  and  en- 
tered a  plea  in  heaven.  Mercy  outruns  malice.  Mark,  He 
does  not  say,  "  Satan  hath  sifted  you,  and  therefore  I  will 
pray,"  but  "  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you."  He  checks 
Satan  even  in  his  very  desire,  and  nips  it  in  the  bud.  He 
does  not  say,  "  But  I  have  desired  to  pray  for  you."  No, 
but  "  I  have  prayed  for  you  ;  I  have  done  it  already  ;  I 
have  gone  to  court  and  entered  a  counterplea  even  before 
an  accusation  is  made."  0  Jesus,  what  a  comfort  it  ia 
that  Thou  hast  pleaded  our  cause  against  our  unseen  ene- 
mies ;  countermined  their  mines,  and  unmasked  their  am- 
bushes. Here  is  matter  for  joy,  gratitude,  hope,  and 
confidence. 


12  EVENING    READINGS.  Jan.  12, 

'*  I  have  yet  to  speak  on  Ood's  behalf."  —  Job  xxxvi.  2. 

^(E  ought  not  to  court  publicity  for  our  virtue,  or  noto- 
riety for  our  zeal ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  it  is  a  sin 
to  be  always  seeking  to  hide  that  which  God  has  be- 
stowed upon  us  for  the  good  of  others.  A  Christian  is  not 
to  be  a  village  in  a  valley,  but  "  a  city  set  upon  a  hid ; "  he 
is  not  to  be  a  candle  under  a  bushel,  but  a  candle  in  a  ca^ 
dlestick,  giving  light  to  all.  Retirement  may  be  lovely  in 
its  season,  and  to  hide  one's  self  is  doubtless  modest,  but  the 
hiding  of  Christ  in  us  can  never  be  justified,  and  the  keeping 
back  of  truth  which  is  precious  to  ourselves,  is  a  sin  against 
others  and  an  offence  against  God.  If  you  are  of  a  nervous 
temperament  and  of  retiring  disposition,  take  care  that  you 
do  not  too  much  indulge  this  trembling  propensity,  lest  you 
should  be  useless  to  the  church.  Seek  in  the  name  of  Him 
who  was  not  ashamed  of  you  to  do  some  little  violence  to 
your  feelings,  and  tell  to  others  what  Christ  has  told  to  you. 
If  thou  canst  not  speak  with  trumpet  tongue,  use  the  still, 
small  voice.  If  the  pulpit  must  not  be  thy  tribune,  if  the 
press  may  not  carry  on  its  wings  thy  words,  yet  say  with 
Peter  and  John,  "  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none,  but  such  as 
I  have  give  I  unto  thee."  By  Sychar's  well  talk  to  the  Sa- 
maritan woman,  if  thou  canst  not  on  the  mountain  preach  a 
sermon  ;  utter  the  praises  of  Jesus  in  the  house,  if  not  in  the 
temple  ;  in  the  field,  if  not  upon  the  exchange  ;  in  the  midst 
of  thine  own  household,  if  thou  canst  not  in  the  midst  of  the 
great  family  of  man.  From  the  nidden  springs  within  let 
sweetly  flowing  rivulets  of  testimony  flow  forth,  giving  drink 
to  ev^ery  passer  by.  Hide  not  thy  talent;  trade  with  it;  and 
thou  shalt  bring  in  good  interest  to  thy  Lord  and  Master.  To 
speak  for  God  will  be  refreshing  to  ourselves,  cheering  to 
saints,  useful  to  skinners,  and  honoring  to  the  Saviour.  Dumb 
children  are  an  afHiction  to  their  parents.  Lord,  unloose  all 
'Ihy  children's  tongues. 


Jan.    13.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  1? 


"  The  iron  did  S2vim."  —  2  Kings  vi  9. 


n 


HE   axe-bead  seemed  hopelessly  lost,  and  as  it  wag 
^   borrowed,  tbe  honor  of  the  prophetic  band  was  likely 


to  be  imperilled,  and  so  the  name  of  their  God  to  be 
compromised.  Contrary  to  all  expectation,  the  iron  was  made 
to  mount  from  the  depth  of  the  stream  and  to  swim  ;  for  things 
impossible  with  man  are  possible  with  God.  I  knew  a  man 
in  Christ  but  a  few  years  ago  who  was  called  to  undertake  a 
work  far  exceeding  his  strength.  It  appeared  so  difficult  as 
to  involve  absurdity  in  the  bare  idea  of  attempting  it.  Yet 
he  was  called  thereto,  and  his  faith  rose  with  the  occasion  ; 
God  honored  his  faith,  unlooked-for  aid  was  sent,  and  the  iron 
did  swim.  Another  of  the  Lord's  family  was  in  grievous 
financial  straits ;  he  was  able  to  meet  all  claims,  and  much 
more,  if  he  could  have  realized  a  certain  portion  of  his  estate, 
but  he  was  overtaken  with  a  sudden  pressure  ;  he  sought  for 
friends  in  vain,  but  faith  led  him  to  the  unfailing  Helper,  and 
lo  !  the  trouble  was  averted,  his  footsteps  were  enlarged,  and 
the  iron  did  swim.  A  third  had  a  sorrowful  case  of  deprav- 
ity to  deal  with.  He  had  taught,  reproved,  warned,  invited, 
and  interceded,  but  all  in  vain.  Old  Adam  was  too  strong 
for  young  Melancthon ;  the  stubborn  spirit  would  not  relent. 
Then  came  an  agony  of  prayer,  and  before  long  a  blessed  an- 
swer was  sent  from  heaven.  The  hard  heart  was  broken,  the 
iron  did  swim. 

Beloved  reader,  what  is  thy  desperate  case  ?  What  heavy 
matter  hast  thou  in  hand  this  evening  ?  Bring  it  hither.  The 
God  of  the  prophets  lives,  and  lives  to  help  His  saints.  He 
will  not  sufter  thee  to  lack  any  good  thing.  Believe  thou  in 
the  Lord  of  Hosts !  Approach  Him  pleading  the  name  of 
Jesus,  and  the  iron  shall  swim  ;  thou  too  ehalt  see  the  finger 
of  God  working  marvels  for  His  peojle.  According  to  thy 
faith  be  it  unto  thee,  and  yet  again  tte  iron  shall  swim. 
2 


14  ETENING    KEADING8.  Jan.    14, 

"  Beginning  to  sink,  he  cried,  saying.  Lord,  save  me." — Matt.  xiv.  30, 

^^j^^INKING  times  are  fraying  times  with  the  Lord's  ser- 
^^^  vants.  Peter  neglected  prayer  at  starting  upon  hia 
^*^^^  venturous  journey,  but  when  he  began  to  sink  his 
danger  made  him  a  suppliant,  and  his  cry,  though  late,  was  not 
too  late.  In  our  hours  of  bodily  pain  and  mental  anguish, 
we  find  ourselves  as  naturally  driven  to  prayer  as  the  wreck 
is  driven  upon  the  shore  by  the  waves.  The  fox  hies  to  its 
hole  for  protection  ;  the  bird  flies  to  the  wood  for  shelter  ;  and 
even  so  the  tried  believer  hastens  to  the  mercy-seat  for  safe- 
ty. Heaven's  great  harbor  of  refuge  is  All-prayer ;  thou- 
sands of  weather-beaten  vessels  have  found  a  haven  there, 
and  the  moment  a  storm  comes  on,  it  is  wise  for  us  to  make 
for  it  with  all  sail. 

Short  prayers  are  long  enough.  There  were  but  three  words 
in  the  petition  which  Peter  gasped  out,  but  they  were  suffi- 
cient for  his  purpose.  Not  length  but  strength  is  desirable. 
A  sense  of  need  is  a  mighty  teacher  of  brevity.  If  our 
prayers  had  less  of  the  tail  feathers  of  pride  and  more  wing, 
they  would  be  all  the  better.  Verbiage  is  to  devotion  as 
chafi"  to  the  wheat.  Precious  things  lie  in  small  compass, 
and  all  that  is  real  prayer  in  many  a  long  address  might  have 
been  uttered  in  a  petition  as  short  as  that  of  Peter. 

Our  extremities  are  the  Lord's  opportunities.  Immediately 
a  keen  sense  of  danger  forces  an  anxious  cry  from  us  the  ear 
of  Jesus  hears,  and  with  Him  ear  and  heart  go  together,  and 
the  hand  does  not  long  linger.  At  the  last  moment  we  ap- 
peal to  our  Master,  but  His  swift  hand  makes  up  for  our  de- 
lays by  instant  and  effectual  action.  Are  we  nearly  ingulfed 
by  the  boisterous  waters  of  affliction  ?  let  us  then  lift  up  our 
souls  unto  our  Saviour,  and  we  may  rest  assured  that  He  will 
not  suffer  us  to  perish.  When  we  can  do  nothing  Jesus  can 
do  all  things ;  let  us  enlist  His  powerful  aid  upon  our  side, 
and  all  will  be  well. 


Jan   15.  EYENINO    BEADIN08.  15 


♦'  But  I  give  mysdf  unto  prayer."  —  Psalm  cix.  4. 

•  ^(^iiYlNG  tongues  were  busy  against  the  reputation  of 
\^M  David,  but  he  did  not  defend  himself;  he  moved  the 
■'^--^^  case  into  a  higher  court,  and  pleaded  before  the  great 
King  Himself.  Prayer  is  the  safest  method  of  replying  to 
words  of  hatred.  The  Psalmist  prayed  in  no  cold-hearted 
manner;  he  gave  himself  to  the  exercise,  —  threw  his  whole 
soul  and  heart  into  it,  —  straining  every  sinew  and  muscle,  aa 
Jacob  did  when  wrestling  with  the  angel.  Thus,  and  thus 
only,  shall  any  of  us  speed  at  the  throne  of  grace.  As  a 
shadow  has  no  power  because  there  is  no  substance  in  it,  even 
so  that  supplication,  in  which  a  man's  proper  self  is  not  thor- 
oughly present  in  agonizing  earnestness  and  vehement  de- 
sire, is  utterly  ineflfectual,  for  it  lacks  that  which  would  give 
it  force.  "  Fervent  prayer,"  says  an  old  divine,  "  like  a  can- 
non planted  at  the  gates  of  heaven,  makes  them  fly  open." 
The  common  fault  with  the  most  of  us  is  our  readiness  to 
yield  to  distractions.  Our  thoughts  go  roving  hither  and 
thither,  and  we  make  little  progress  towards  our  desired  end. 
Like  quicksilver,  our  mind  will  not  hold  together,  but  rolls  off 
this  way  and  that.  How  great  an  evil  this  is  !  It  injures  us, 
and,  what  is  worse,  it  insults  our  God.  What  should  we  think 
of  a  petitioner,  if,  while  having  an  audience  with  a  prince,  he 
should  be  playing  with  a  feather  or  catching  a  fly  ? 

Continuance  and  perseverance  are  intended  iu  the  expres- 
sion of  our  text.  David  did  not  cry  once,  and  then  relapse 
into  [silence ;  his  holy  clamor  was  continued  till  it  brought 
down  the  blessing.  Prayer  must  not  be  our  chance  work,  but 
our  daily  business,  our  habit,  and  vocation.  As  artists  give 
themselves  to  their  models,  and  poets  to  their  classical  pur- 
suits, so  must  we  addict  ourselves  to  prayer.  We  must  be 
immersed  in  prayer  as  in  our  element,  and  so  pray  without 
ceasing.  Lord,  teach  us  so  to  pray  that  we  may  bo  more  and 
more  prevalent  in  supplication. 


16  EVENING    READINGS  Jan.   16 


"  T}fe  Messiah  shall  be  cut  off,  bid  not  for  Ilimself."  —  Daniel  ix.  26 

I^LESSED  be  His  L-^iue,  there  was  no  cause  of  deatli  in 
Him.  Neither  original  nor  actual  sin  had  defiled  Him, 
*'^  and  therefore  death  had  no  claim  upon  Him.  No  man 
could  have  taken  His  life  from  Him  justly,  for  He  had  done 
no  man  wrong,  and  no  man  could  even  have  slain  Him  by 
force  unless  He  had  been  pleased  to  yield  Himself  to  die. 
But  lo  !  one  sins  and  another  suffers.  Justice  was  offended 
by  us,  but  found  its  satisfaction  in  Him.  Rivers  of  tears, 
mountains  of  offerings,  seas  of  the  blood  of  bullocks,  and 
hills  of  frankincense,  could  not  have  availed  for  the  removal 
of  sin ;  but  Jesus  was  cut  off  for  us,  and  the  cause  of  wrath 
was  cut  off  at  once,  for  sin  was  put  away  forever.  Herein  is 
wisdom,  whereby  substitution,  the  sure  and  speedy  way  of 
atonement,  was  devised  !  Herein  is  condescension,  which 
brought  Messiah,  the  Prince,  to  wear  a, crown  of  thorns,  and 
die  upon  the  cross  !  Herein  is  love,  which  led  the  Redeemer 
to  lay  down  His  life  for  His  enemies  ! 

It  is  not  enough,  however,  to  admire  the  spectacle  of  the 
innocent  bleeding  for  the  guilty ;  we  must  make  sure  of  our 
interest  therein.  The  special  object  of  the  Messiah's  death 
was  the  salvation  of  His  church ;  have  we  a  part  and  lot 
among  those  for  whom  He  gave  His  life  a  ransom  ?  Did  the 
Lord  Jesus  stand  as  our  representative  ?  Are  we  healed  by 
his  stripes  ?  It  will  be  a  terrible  thing  indeed  if  we  should 
come  short  of  a  portion  in  His  sacrifice  ;  it  were  better  for  us 
that  we  had  never  been  born.  Solemn  as  the  question  is,  it  is 
a  joyful  circumstance  that  it  is  one  which  may  be  answered 
clearly  and  without  mistake.  To  all  who  believe  on  Him  the 
Lord  Jesus  is  a  present  Saviour,  and  upon  them  all  the  blood 
of  reconciliation  has  been  sprinkled.  Let  all  who  trust  in  the 
merit  of  Messiah's  death  be  joyful  at  every  remembrance 
of  Him,  and  let  their  holy  gratitude  lead  them  to  the  fullest 
oonsecration  to  His  cause. 


Jan.    17.  EVENING    UEAUINGS. 


"  And  it  came  to  pass  in  an  evening-tide  that  David  arose  from  oj^ 
his  bed,  and  walked  upon  the  roof  rf  the  king'a  house."  —  2 
Samuel  xi.  2. 

that  hour  David  saw  IJathsheba.  We  are  never  out 
of  the  reach  of  temptation.  Both  at  home  and  abroad, 
we  are  liable  to  meet  with  allurements  to  evil ;  the 
morning  opens  with  peril,  and  the  shades  of  evening  find  ua 
still  in  jeopardy.  They  are  well  kept  whom  God  keeps,  but 
woe  unto  those  who  go  forth  into  the  world,  or  even  dare  to 
walk  their  own  house  unarmed.  Those  who  think  themselves 
secure,  are  more  exposed  to  danger  than  any  others.  The 
armor-bearer  of  Sin  is  Self-confidence,  David  should  have 
been  engaged  in  fighting  the  Lord'.s  battles  ;  instead  of  which 
he  tarried  at  Jerusalem,  and  gave  himself  up  to  luxurious  re- 
pose, for  he  arose  from  his  bed  at  even-tide.  Idleness  and 
luxurj'  are  the  devil's  jackals,  and  find  him  abundant  prey. 
In  stagnant  waters  noxious  creatures  swarm,  and  neglected  soil 
soon  yields  a  dense  tangle  of  weeds  and  briers.  Oh,  for  the 
constraining  love  of  Jesus  to  keep  us  active  and  useful !  When 
[  see  the  King  of  Israel  sluggishly  leaving  his  couch  at  the 
close  of  the  day,  and  falling  at  once  into  temptation,  let  me 
take  warning,  and  set  holy  watchfulness  to  guard  the  door. 

Is  it  possible  that  the  king  had  mounted  hiy  housetop  for 
retirement  and  devotion  ?  if  so,  what  a  caution  is  given 
us  to  count  no  place,  however  secret,  a  sanctuary  from  sin  \ 
While  our  hearts  are  so  like  a  tinder-box,  and  sparks  so  plen- 
tiful, we  had  need  use  all  diligence  in  all  places  to  prevent  a 
blaze.  Satan  can  climb  house-tops,  and  enter  closets,  and 
even  if  we  could  shut  out  that  foul  fiend,  our  own  corruptions 
arc  enough  to  work  our  ruin  unless  grace  prevent.  Reader, 
beware  of  evening  temptations.  Be  not  secure.  The  sun  is 
down  but  sin  is  up.  We  need  a  A'atchman  for  the  night,  as 
well  as  a  guardian  for  the  day.  Oh  blessed  Spirit,  keep  lu 
from  all  evil  this  night.  Amen. 
2* 


18  EVENING    READINGS.  JaU.   18. 

"  He  expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things  concern- 
ing Himself."  —  Luke  xxiv.  27. 

p'T^-|HE  two  disciples  on  the  road  to  Emmaus  had  a  most 
^Tirll  profitable  journey.  Their  companion  and  teacher  was 
**^^*^  the  best  of  tutors  ;  the  interpreter  one  of  a  thousand, 
in  whonr.  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge. 
The  Lord  Jesus  condescended  to  become  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel,  and  He  was  not  ashamed  to  exercise  His  calling  be- 
fore an  audience  of  two  persons  ;  neither  does  He  now  refuse 
to  become  the  teacher  of  even  one.  Let  us  court  the  com- 
pany of  so  excellent  an  Instructor,  for  till  He  is  made  unto 
us  wisdom,  we  shall  never  be  wise  unto  salvation. 

This  unrivalled  tutor  used  as  His  class-book  the  best  of 
books.  Although  able  to  reveal  fresh  truth,  He  preferred  to 
expound  the  old.  He  knew  by  His  omniscience  what  was  the 
most  instructive  way  of  teaching,  and  by  turning  at  once  to 
Moses  and  the  prophets.  He  showed  us  that  the  surest  road 
to  wisdom  is  not  speculation,  reasoning,  or  reading  human 
books,  but  meditation  upon  the  Word  of  God.  The  readiest 
way  to  be  spiritually  rich  in  heavenly  knowledge  is  to  dig  in 
this  mine  of  diamonds,  to  gather  pearls  from  this  heavenly 
Bea.  When  Jesus  Himself  sought  to  enrich  others,  He 
wrought  in  the  quarry  of  Holy  Scripture. 

The  favored  pair  were  led  to  consider  the  best  of  subjects^ 
for  Jesus  spake  of  Jesus,  and  expounded  the  things  concern- 
ing Himself.  Here  the  diamond  cut  the  diamond,  and  what 
could  be  more  admirable  ?  The  Master  of  the  House  un- 
locked His  own  doors,  conducted  the  guests  to  His  table,  and 
placed  His  own  dainties  upon  it.  He  who  hid  the  treasure 
in  the  field.  Himself  guided  the  searchers  to  it.  Our  Lord 
would  naturally  discourse  upon  the  sweetest  of  topics,  and 
He  could  find  none  sweeter  than  His  own  person  and  work : 
with  an  eye  to  these  we  should  always  search  the  Word.  Oh, 
for  grace  to  study  the  Bible  with  Jesus  as  both  our  teachei 
and  our  lesson ! 


Jan.   19.  ETENINO    READINGS.  19 

"  Then  open<!d  He  their  understanding,  that  they  might  understand 
the  Sa-iptures."  —  Luke  xxiv.  45. 

?^E  whom  we  viewed  last  evening  as  opening  Scripture, 
Yi  we  here  perceive  opening  the  understanding.  In  the 
'^'*^  first  work  He  has  many  fellow-laborers,  but  in  the 
second  He  stands  alone  ;  many  can  bring  the  Scriptures  to 
the  mind,  but  the  Lord  alone  can  prepare  the  mind  to  re- 
ceive the  Scriptures.  Our  Lord  Jesus  differs  from  all  other 
teachers  ;  they  reach  the  ear,  but  He  instructs  the  heart ; 
they  deal  with  the  outward  letter,  but  He  imparts  an  inward 
taste  for  the  truth,  by  which  we  perceive  its  savor  and  spirit. 
The  most  unlearned  of  men  become  ripe  scholars  in  the 
school  of  grace  when  the  Lord  Jesus  by  His  Holy  Spirit  un- 
folds the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  to  them,  and  grants  the 
divine  anointing  by  which  they  are  enabled  to  behold  the  in- 
visible. Happy  are  we  if  we  have  had  our  understandings 
cleared  and  strengthened  by  the  Master  !  How  many  men 
of  profound  learning  are  ignorant  of  eternal  things  !  They 
know  the  killing  letter  of  revelation,  but  its  living  spirit  they 
cannot  discern  ;  they  have  a  veil  upon  their  hearts  which  the 
eyes  of  carnal  reason  cannot  penetrate.  Such  was  our  case 
a  little  time  ago  ;  we  who  now  see,  were  once  utterly  blind: 
truth  was  to  us  as  beauty  in  the  dark,  a  thing  unnoticed  and 
neglected.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  love  of  Jesus  we  should 
have  remained  to  this  moment  in  utter  ignorance,  for  with- 
out His  gracious  opening  of  our  understanding,  we  could  no 
more  have  attained  to  spiritual  knowledge  than  an  infant 
can  climb  the  pyramids,  or  an  ostrich  fly  up  to  the  stars. 
Jesus'  College  is  the  only  one  in  which  God's  truth  can  be 
really  learned  ;  other  schools  may  teach  us  what  is  to  be  be- 
lieved, but  Christ's  alone  can  show  us  how  to  believe  it.  Let 
ns  sit  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  by  earnest  prayer  call  in  His 
61essed  aid,  that  our  dull  wits  may  grow  brighter,  and  our 
feeble  understandings  may  receive  heavenly  things. 


20  ETENING    HEADINGS.  Jan.   20 

*'  Turn  away  mine  eyes  from  beholding  vanity ;  and  quicken  Thou 
me  in  I'hy  way.'"  —  Psalm  cxix.  37. 

i?^'f*^HERE  are  divers  kinds  of  vanity.  The  cap  and  bells 
"-I^^^S  of  the  fool,  the  mirth  of  the  world,  the  dance,  the 
^^*^  lyre,  and  the  cup  of  the  dissolute,  all  these,  men  know 
to  be  vanities  ;  they  wear  upon  their  fore  front  their  proper 
name  and  title.  Far  more  treacherous  are  those  equally  vain 
things,  the  eares  of  this  world  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches. 
A  man  may  follow  vanity  as  truly  in  the  couuting-housc  aa 
in  the  theatre.  If  he  be  spending  his  life  in  amassing  wealth, 
he  passes  his  days  in  a  vain  show.  Unless  we  follow  Christ, 
and  make  our  God  the  great  object  of  life,  we  only  differ  in 
appearance  from  the  most  frivolous.  It  is  clear,  that  there 
is  much  need  of  the  first  prayer  of  our  text. 

"  Quicken  Thou  me  in  Thy  way."  The  Psalmist  confesses 
that  he  is  dull,  heavy,  lumpy,  all  but  dead.  Perhaps,  dear 
reader,  you  feel  the  same.  We  are  so  sluggish,  that  the  best 
motives  cannot  quicken  us,  apart  from  the  Lord  Himself. 
What !  will  not  hell  quicken  me  ?  Shall  I  think  of  sinners 
perishing,  and  yet  not  be  awakened  ?  Will  not  heaven  quick- 
en me  ?  Can  I  think  of  the  reward  that  awaiteth  the  right- 
eous, and  yet  be  cold  ?  Will  not  death  quicken  me  ?  Can  I 
think  of  dying,  and  standing  before  my  God,  and  yet  be 
slothful  in  my  Master's  service  ?  Will  not  Christ's  love  con- 
strain me  ?  Can  I  think  of  His  dear  wounds,  can  I  sit  at  the 
foot  of  His  cross,  and  not  be  stirred  with  fervency  and  zeal  ? 
It  seems  so.  No  mere  consideration  can  quicken  us  to  zeal, 
but  God  Himself  must  do  it ;  hence  the  cry,  "  Quicken  Thou 
me  !  "  The  Psalmist  breathes  out  his  whole  soul  in  vehe- 
ment pleadings.  His  body  and  his  soul  unite  in  prayer. 
"  Turn  away  mine  eyes,"  says  the  body ;  "  Quicken  Thou 
tne,"  cries  the  soul.  This  is  a  fit  prayer  for  every  day  Ch 
Lord,  hear  it  in  my  case  this  night. 


Jan.  21.  EVENii^o  beadings.  21 

"  He  was  sore  aiJnrst,  and  called  on  the  Lord,  and  said,  Thou  hast 
ffirai  this  great  deliverance  into  the  hand  of  Thy  servant :  and 
now  shall  I  die  for  thirst?"  —  Judges  xv.  18. 

^i^^^'AMSON  was  thirsty  and  ready  to  die.  The  difficulty 
^-%Sl  A  ^^^  totally  different  from  any  which  the  hero  had 
'^^^'^  met  before.  Merely  to  get  thirst  assuaged  is  noth- 
ing like  so  great  a  matter  as  to  be  delivered  from  a  thousand 
Philistines  !  but  when  the  thirst  was  upon  him,  Samson  felt 
that  little  present  difficulty  more  weighty  than  the  great  past 
difficulty  out  of  which  he  had  so  specially  been  delivered.  It 
is  very  usual  for  God's  people,  when  they  have  enjoyed  a 
great  deliverance,  to  find  a  little  trouble  too  much  for  them. 
Samson  slays  a  thousand  Philistines,  and  piles  them  up  in 
heaps,  and  then  faints  for  a  little  water  !  Jacob  wrestles 
with  God  at  Peniel,  and  overcomes  Omnipotence  itself,  and 
then  goes  "  halting  on  his  thigh !  "  Strange  that  there  ynust 
oe  a  shrinking  of  the  sinew  whenever  we  win  the  day.  As 
if  the  Lord  must  teach  us  our  littleness,  our  nothingness,  in 
order  to  keep  us  within  bounds.  Samson  boasted  right  loudly 
when  he  said,  "  I  have  slain  a  thousand  men."  His  boastful 
throat  soon  grew  hoarse  with  thirst,  and  he  betook  himself 
to  prayer.  God  has  many  ways  of  humbling  his  people. 
Dear  child  of  God,  if  after  great  mercy  you  are  laid  very 
low,  your  case  is  not  an  unusual  one.  When  David  had 
mounted  the  throne  of  Israel,  he  said,  "  I  am  this  day  weak, 
though  anointed  king."  You  must  expect  to  feel  weakest 
when  you  are  enjoying  your  greatest  triumph. 

If  God  has  wrought  for  you  great  deliverances  in  the  past, 
your  present  difficulty  is  only  like  Samson's  thirst,  and  the 
]iOrd  will  not  let  you  faint,  nor  suffer  the  daughter  of  the  un- 
circumcised  to  triumph  over  you.  The  road  of  sorrow  is  the 
road  to  heaven,  but  there  are  wells  of  refreshing  water  all  along 
the  route.  So,  tried  brother,  cheer  your  heart  with  Samson's 
words,  and  rest  assured  that  G(d  will  deliver  you  ere  long. 


23  XTENiNO  READIK08.  Jau.  22, 

"  Loth  Job  fear  Oodfor  nought '?"— J  oh  i.  9. 


M 


^HIS  was  the  wicked  question  of  Satan  concerning  that 
upright  man  of  old  ;  but  there  are  many  in  the  present 
day  concerning  whom  it  might  be  asked  with  justice, 
for  they  love  Grod  after  a  fashion,  because  He  prospers  them  ; 
but  if  things  went  ill  with  them,  they  would  give  up  all  their 
boasted  faith  in  God.  If  they  can  clearly  see  that  since  the 
time  of  their  supposed  conversion  the  world  has  gone  pros- 
perously with  them,  then  they  will  love  God  in  their  poor 
carnal  way ;  but  if  they  endure  adversity,  they  rebel  agaiust 
the  Lord.  Their  love  is  the  love  of  the  table,  not  of  the 
host ;  a  love  to  the  cupboard,  not  to  the  master  of  the  house 
As  for  the  true  Christian,  he  expects  to  have  his  reward  in 
the  next  life,  and  to  endure  hardness  in  this.  The  promise  of 
the  old  covenant  was  prosperity,  but  the  promise  of  the  new 
covenant  is  adversity.  Remember  Christ's  words  :  "  Every 
branch  in  Me  that  beareth  not  fruit  He  taketh  away,  and  ev- 
,  ery  branch  that  beareth  fruit "  —  What  ?  "^e  furgeth  it,  thai 
it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit."  If  you  bring  forth  fruit,  you 
will  have  to  endure  affliction.  "Alas ! "  you  say,  "  that  is  a 
terrible  prospect."  But  this  affliction  works  out  such  pre- 
cious results,  that  the  Christian  who  is  the  subject  of  it  must 
learn  to  rejoice  in  tribulations,  because  as  his  tribulations 
abound,  so  his  consolations  abound  by  Christ  Jesus.  Rest 
assured,  if  you  are  a  child  of  God,  you  will  be  no  stranger 
to  the  rod.  Sooner  or  later  every  bar  of  gold  must  pass 
through  the  fire.  Fear  not,  but  rather  rejoice  that  such  fruit- 
ful times  are  in  store  for  you,  for  in  them  you  will  be  weaned 
from  earth  and  made  meet  for  heaven ;  you  will  be  delivered 
from  clinging  to  the  present,  and  made  to  long  for  those  eter. 
nal  things  which  are  so  soon  to  be  revealed  to  you.  When 
you  feel  that  as  regards  the  present  you  do  serve  God  for 
nought,  you  will  then  rijoice  in  the  infinite  reward  of  th» 
future. 


Jan.  23.  evening  readings.  23 

"  We  will  remember  Tliy  love  more  than  wine."  —  Sol.  Song  i.  4. 

^SUS  will  not  let  His  people  forget  His  love.  If  all 
the  love  they  have  enjoyed  should  be  forgotten,  Ho 
will  visit  them  with  fresh  love.  "  Do  you  forget  My 
cross  ? "  says  He  ;  "  I  "will  cause  you  to  remember  it ;  for  at 
My  table  I  will  manifest  Myself  anew  to  you.  Do  you  forget 
what  I  did  for  you  in  the  council-chamber  of  eternity  ?  I 
will  remind  you  of  it,  for  you  shall  need  a  counsellor,  and 
shall  find  Me  ready  at  your  call."  Mothers  do  not  let  their 
children  forget  them.  If  the  boy  has  gone  to  Australia,  and 
does  not  write  home,  his  mother  writes,  "  Has  John  for- 
gotten his  mother  ?  "  Then  there  comes  back  a  sweet  epis- 
tle, which  proves  that  the  gentle  reminder  was  not  in  vain. 
So  is  it  with  Jesus.  He  says  to  us,  "  Remember  Me  ; "  and 
our  response  is,  "  We  will  remember  Thy  love."  We  will 
remember  Thy  love  and  its  matchless  history.  It  is  ancient 
as  the  glory  which  Thou  hadst  with  the  Father  before  the 
world  was.  We  remember,  0  Jesus,  Thine  eternal  love 
when  Thou  didst  become  our  Surety,  and  espouse  us  as  Thy 
betrothed.  We  remember  the  love  which  suggested  the  sac- 
rifice of  Thyself,  the  love  which,  until  the  fulness  of  time, 
mused  over  that  sacrifice,  and  longed  for  the  hour  whereof 
in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  was  written  of  Thee,  "  Lo,  I 
come."  We  remember  Thy  love,  0  Jesus  I  as  it  was  mani- 
fest to  us  in  Thy  holy  life,  from  the  manger  of  Bethlehem 
to  the  garden  of  Gethsemane.  We  track  Thee  from  the 
cradle  to  the  grave,  —  for  every  word  and  deed  of  Thine  was 
love,  —  and  we  rejoice  in  Thy  love,  which  death  did  not  ex- 
haust ;  Thy  love  which  shone  resplendent  in  Thy  resurrec- 
tion. We  lemember  that  burning  fire  of  love  which  will 
never  let  Thee  hold  Thy  peace  until  Thy  chosen  ones  be 
all  safely  boused,  until  Zion  be  glorified,  and  Jerusalem 
settled  0^  her  everlasting  foundations  of  light  and  love  Id 
heaven. 


24  EVENING  READINGS.  Jan.  24 

"  Martha  was  cumbered  about  much  serving."  —  Luke  x.  40. 
pER  fault  was  not  that  she  served :  the  condition  of  a 


servant  well  becomes  every  Christian.  "  I  serve,'' 
^  should  be  the  motto  of  all  the  princes  of  the  royal 
family  of  heaven.  Nor  was  it  her  fault  that  she  had  "  much 
serving."  We  cannot  do  too  much.  Let  us  do  all  that  we 
possibly  can ;  let  head,  and  heart,  and  hands  be  engaged  in 
the  Master's  service.  It  was  no  fault  of  hers  that  she  was 
busy  preparing  a  feast  for  the  Master.  Happy  Martha,  to 
have  an  opportunity  of  entertaining  so  blessed  a  guest ;  and 
happy,  too,  to  have  the  spirit  to  throw  her  whole  soul  so 
heartily  into  the  engagement.  Her  fault  was  that  she  grew 
"  cumbered  with  much  serving,"  so  that  she  forgot  Him,  and 
only  remembered  the  service.  She  allowed  service  to  over- 
ride communion,  and  so  presented  one  duty  stained  with  the 
blood  of  another.  We  ought  to  be  Martha  and  Mary  in  one  ; 
we  should  do  much  service,  and  have  much  communion  at 
the  same  time.  For  this  we  need  great  grace.  It  is  easier 
to  serve  than  to  commune.  Joshua  never  grew  weary  in 
fighting  with  the  Amalekites ;  but  Moses,  on  the  top  of  the 
mountain  in  prayer,  needed  two  helpers  to  sustain  his  hands. 
The  more  spiritual  the  exercise,  the  sooner  we  tire  in  it. 
The  choicest  fruits  are  the  hardest  to  rear ;  the  most  heav- 
enly graces  are  the  most  diflBcult  to  cultivate.  Beloved, 
while  we  do  not  neglect  external  things,  which  are  good 
enough  in  themselves,  we  ought  also  to  see  to  it  that  we  en- 
joy living,  personal  fellowship  with  Jesus.  See  to  it  that 
sitting  at  the  Saviour's  feet  is  not  neglected,  even  though  it 
be  under  the  specious  pretext  of  doing  Him  service.  The 
first  thing  for  our  soul's  health,  the  first  thing  for  His  glory, 
and  the  first  thing  for  our  own  usefulness,  is  to  keep  our- 
selves in  perpetual  communion  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  to 
see  that  the  vital  spirituality  of  our  religion  is  maintained 
over  and  above  everything  else  in  the  world. 


Jan.  25.  etenino  readikos.  25 

**  Do  tee  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith?     God  forbid:  yea, 
tee  establish  the  law"  —  Romans  iii.  31. 

PHEN  the  believer  is  adopted  into  the  Lord's  family,  his 
relationship  to  old  Adam  and  the  law  ceases  at  once  ; 
but  then  he  is  under  a  new  rule,  and  a  new  covenant 
Believer,  you  are  God's  child  ;  it  is  your  first  duty  to  obey 
your  heavenly  Father.  A  servile  spirit  you  have  nothing  to 
do  with  ;  you  are  not  a  slave,  but  a  child  ;  and  noiK»  inasmuch 
as  you  are  a  beloved  child,  you  are  bound  to  obey  your  Fa- 
ther's faintest  wish,  the  least  intimation  of  His  will.  Does 
He  bid  you  fulfil  a  sacred  ordinance  ?  It  is  at  your  peril  that 
you  neglect  it,  for  you  will  be  disobeying  your  Father.  Does 
He  command  you  to  seek  the  image  of  Jesus  ?  Is  it  not  your 
joy  to  do  so  ?  Does  Jesus  tell  you,  "  Be  ye  perfect,  even  as 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect"  ?  Then  not  be- 
cause the  law  commands,  but  because  your  Saviour  enjoins, 
you  will  labor  to  be  perfect  in  holiness.  Does  He  bid  His 
saints  love  one  another  ?  Do  it,  not  because  the  law  says, 
*'  Love  thy  neighbor,"  but  because  Jesus  says,  "  If  ye  love 
Me,  keep  My  commandments  ;  "  and  this  is  the  commandment 
that  He  has  given  unto  you,  "  that  ye  love  one  another." 
Are  you  told  to  distribute  to  the  poor  ?  Do  it,  not  because 
charity  is  a  burden  which  you  dare  not  shirk,  but  because 
Jesus  teaches,  "  Give  to  him  that  asketh  of  thee."  Does  the 
Word  say,  "  Love  God  with  all  your  heart"  }  Look  at  the 
commandment  and  reply,  "Ah!  commandment,  Christ  hath 
fulfilled  thee  already ;  I  have  no  need,  therefore,  to  fulfil 
thee  for  my  salvation,  but  I  rejoice  to  yield  obedience  to  thee 
because  God  is  my  Father  now,  and  He  has  a  claim  upon  me, 
which  I  would  not  dispute."  May  the  Holy  Ghost  make  your 
heart  obedient  to  the  constraining  power  of  Christ's  love,  that 
your  prayer  may  be,  "  Make  nie  to  go  in  the  path  of  Thy  com- 
mandments ;  for  therein  do  I  delight."  Grace  is  the  mother 
■nd  nurse  of  holiness,  and  not  the  apologist  of  sin. 
3 


26  EVENING  READINGS.  Jan.  26. 

"All  they  that  heard  it  wondered  at  those  things."  —  Luke  ii.  18. 


m 


^^'T^^E  must  not  cease  to  wonder  at  the  great  marvels  of  our 
God.  It  would  be  very  difficult  to  draw  a  line  be- 
tween holy  wonder  and  real  worship ;  for  when  the 
soul  is  overwhelmed  with  the  majesty  of  God's  glory,  though' 
it  may  not  express  itself  in  song,  or  even  utter  its  voice  with 
bowed  head  in  humble  pra3^er,  yet  it  silently  adores.  Our  in- 
carnate Qad  is  to  be  worshipped  as  "  the  Wonderful."  That 
God  should  consider  His  fallen  creature,  man,  and  instead 
of  sweeping  him  away  with  the  besom  of  destruction,  should 
Himself  undertake  to  be  man's  Redeemer,  and  to  pay  his 
ransom  price,  is,  indeed,  marvellous  !  But  to  each  believer 
redemption  is  most  marvellous  as  he  views  it  in  relation  to 
himself.  It  is  a  miracle  of  grace  indeed,  that  Jesus  should 
forsake  the  thrones  and  royalties  above,  to  suffer  ignomini- 
ously  below  for  you.  Let  your  soul  lose  itself  in  wonder, 
for  wonder  is  in  this  way  a  very  practical  emotion.  Holy 
wonder  will  lead  you  to  grateful  worship  and  heartfelt  thanks- 
giving. It  will  cause  within  you  godly  watchfulness  ;  you  will 
be  afraid  to  sin  against  such  a  love  as  this.  Feeling  the 
presence  of  the  mighty  God  in  the  gift  of  His  dear  Son,  you 
will  put  off  your  shoes  from  off  your  feet,  because  the  place 
whereon  you  stand  is  holy  ground.  You  will  be  moved  at 
the  same  time  to  glorious  hope.  If  Jesus  has  done  such  mar- 
vellous things  on  your  behalf,  you  will  feel  that  heaven  itself 
is  not  too  great  for  your  expectation.  Who  can  be  aston- 
ished at  anything,  when  he  has  once  been  astonished  at  the 
manger  and  the  cross  ?  What  is  there  wonderful  left  after 
one  has  seen  the  Saviour  ?  Dear  reader,  it  may  be  that  from 
the  quietness  and  solitariness  of  your  life,  you  are  scarcely 
able  to  imitate  the  shepherds  of  Bethlehem,  who  told  what 
they  had  seen  and  heard,  but  you  can.  at  least,  fill  un  the 
circle  of  the  worshippers  before  inn  inrone,  oy  wonaering  ai 
what  God  has  done. 


Jan.   27.  EVENING    EEXDIN08.  27 


"  But  Mary  kejjt  all  these  things,  and  pondered  them  in  her  heart* 
Luke  ii.  19. 

IJSs^^^HERE  was  an  exercise,  on  the  part  of  this  blessed 
L^^  woman,  of  three  powers  of  her  being  :  her  memory 
—  she  kept  all  these  tilings;  her  affections — sho 
kept  them  in  her  heart;  her  intellect  —  she  pondered  them; 
so  that  memory,  affection,  and  understanding  were  all  exer- 
cised about  the  things  which  she  bad  heard.  Beloved,  re- 
member what  you  have  heard  of  your  Lord  Jesus,  and  what 
He  has  done  for  you ;  make  your  heart  the  golden  pot  of 
manna  to  preserve  the  memorial  of  the  heavenly  bread  where- 
on you  have  fed  in  days  gone  by.  Let  your  memory  treasure 
up  everything  about  Christ  which  you  have  either  felt,  or 
known,  or  believed,  and  then  let  your  fond  affections  hold 
Him  fast  forevermore.  Love  the  person  of  your  Lord .' 
Bring  forth  the  alabaster  box  of  your  heart,  even  though  it 
be  broken,  and  let  all  the  precious  ointment  of  your  affection 
come  streaming  on  His  pierced  feet.  Let  your  intellect  be 
exercised  concerning  the  Lord  Jesus.  Meditate  upon  what 
you  read  :  stop  not  at  the  surface  ;  dive  into  the  depths.  Be 
not  as  the  swallow  which  toucheth  the  brook  with  her  wing, 
but  as  the  fish  which  penetrates  the  lowest  wave.  Abide  with 
your  Lord :  let  Him  not  be  to  you  as  a  wayfaring  man, 
that  tarrieth  for  a  night,  but  constrain  Him,  saying,  "  Abide 
with  us,  for  the  day  is  far  spent."  Hold  Him,  and  do  not  let 
Him  go.  The  word  "  ponder  "  means  to  weigh.  Make  ready 
the  balances  of  judgment.  Oh,  but  where  are  the  scales  that 
can  weigh  the  Lord  Christ  ?  "  He  taketh  up  the  isles  as  a 
very  little  thing  "  —  who  shall  take  Him  up  ?  "  He  weigheth 
the  mountains  in  scales "  —  in  what  scales  shall  we  weigh 
Him  f  Be  it  so,  if  your  understanding  cannot  coraprcbend, 
lei  your  affections  apprehend ;  and  if  your  spirit  cannot  cora- 
nass  the  Lord  Jesus  in  thft  trrasD  of  understanding,  let  it 
euiorace  Him  in  the  arms  of  attcciiou. 


E8  EVENING  READINGS.  Jan.  28. 

"  And  the  sheplierds  returned,  glorifying  and  praising  Ood  fof 
all  the  things  that  they  had  heard  and  seen,  as  it  was  told  unto 
them:'  —  Luke  ii.  20. 


[^JIAT  was  the  subject  of  their  praise  ?  They  praised 
God  for  what  they  had  heard  —  for  the  good  tidinga 
of  great  joy  that  a  Saviour  was  born  unto  them.  Let 
us  copy  them ;  let  us  also  raise  a  song  of  thanksgiving  that 
we  have  heard  of  Jesus  and  His  salvation.  They  also  praised 
God  for  what  they  had  seen.  There  is  the  sweetest  music  — 
what  we  have  experienced,  what  we  have  felt  within,  what  we 
have  made  our  own  —  "the  things  which  we  have  made 
touching  the  King."  It  is  not  enough  to  hear  about  Jesus : 
mere  hearing  may  tune  the  harp,  but  the  fingers  of  living 
faith  must  create  the  music.  If  you  have  seen  Jesus  with 
the  God-given  sight  of  faith,  suffer  no  cobwebs  to  linger 
among  the  harpstrings,  but  loud  to  the  praise  of  sovereign 
grace,  awake  your  psaltery  and  harp.  One  point  for  which 
they  praised  God  was  the  agreement  between  what  they  had 
heard  and  ivhat  they  had  seen.  Observe  the  last  sentence  — 
"  As  it  was  told  unto  them."  Have  you  not  found  the  gos- 
pel to  be  in  yourselves  just  what  the  Bible  said  it  would  be  ? 
Jesus  said  He  would  give  you  rest — have  you  not  enjoyed 
the  sweetest  peace  in  Him?  He  said  you  should  have  joy, 
and  comfort,  and  life  through  believing  in  Him  —  have  you 
not  received  all  these  ?  Are  not  his  ways  ways  of  pleasant- 
ness, and  his  paths  paths  of  peace  ?  Surely  you  can  say 
with  the  queen  of  Sheba,  "  The  half  has  not  been  told  me." 
I  have  found  Christ  more  sweet  than  His  servants  ever  said 
He  was.  I  looked  upon  His  likeness  as  they  painted  it,  but 
it  was  a  mere  daub  compared  with  Himself;  for  the  King 
in  His  beauty  outshines  all  imaginable  loveliness.  Surely 
^hat  we  have  "  see?i  "  keeps  pace  with,  nay,  far  exceeds 
vhat  we  have  "  heard."  Let  us,  then,  glorify  and  praise  God 
iov  a  Saviour  so  precious,  aud  so  satisfying. 


Jan.  29.  etenixo  beadinos.  29 

"  Tlie  dove  came  in  to  him  in  the  evening." — Genesis  viiL  11. 


i'^^'^^fcLESSED  be  the  Lord  for  another  day  of  mercy,  even 
;S5  though  I  am  now  weary  with  its  toils.  Unto  the  pie- 
eerver  of  men  lift  I  my  song  of  gratitude.  The  dovo 
found  no  rest  out  of  the  ark,  and  therefore  returned  to  it; 
and  iny  soul  has  learned  yet  more  fully  than  ever,  this  day, 
that  there  is  no  satisfaction  to  be  found  in  earthly  things  — 
God  alone  can  give  rest  to  my  spirit.  As  to  my  business,  my 
possessions,  ray  family,  my  attainments,  these  are  all  well 
enough  in  their  way,  but  they  cannot  fulfil  the  desires  of  my 
immortal  nature.  "  Return  unto  thy  rest,  0  my  soul,  for  the 
Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  with  thee."  It  was  at  the  still 
hour,  when  the  gates  of  the  day  were  closing,  that  with  weary 
wing  the  dove  came  back  to  her  master :  0  Lord,  enable 
me  this  evening  thus  to  return  to  Jesus.  She  could  not  en- 
dure to  spend  a  night  hovering  over  the  restless  waste,  nor 
can  I  bear  to  be  even  for  another  hour  away  from  Jesus,  the 
rest  of  my  heart,  the  home  of  my  spirit.  She  did  not  mere- 
ly alight  upon  the  roof  of  the  ark,  she  '*  came  in  to  him ; " 
even  so  would  my  longing  spirit  look  into  the  secret  of  the 
Lord,  pierce  to  the  interior  of  truth,  enter  into  that  which  is 
within  the  veil,  and  reach  to  my  Beloved  in  very  deed.  To 
Jesus  must  I  come  :  short  of  the  nearest  and  dearest  inter- 
course with  Him  my  panting  spirit  cannot  stay.  Blessed 
Lord  Jesus,  be  with  me,  reveal  Thyself,  and  abide  with  me  all 
night,  so  that  when  I  awake,  I  may  be  still  with  Thee.  I  note 
that  the  dove  brought  in  her  mouth  an  olive  branch  plucked 
off,  the  memorial  of  the  past  day,  and  a  prophecy  of  the  fu- 
ture. Have  I  no  pleasing  record  to  bring  home  ?  No  pledge 
and  earnest  of  loving-kindness  yet  to  come  ?  Yes,  my  Lord, 
I  present  Thee  my  grateful  acknowledgments  for  tender  mer- 
cies which  have  been  new  every  morning  and  fresh  f  very 
evening ;  and  now,  I  pray  Thee,  put  forth  Thy  hand  and 
take  Thy  dove  into  Thy  bosom. 
3* 


30  ETENiKO  HEADINGS.  Jan.  30. 

"  In  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance"  —  Er>h.  i.  11. 

,^^HEN  Jesus  gave  Himself  for  us,  He  gave  us  all  the 
rights  and  privileges  which  went  with  Himself;  so 
that  now,  although  as  eternal  God,  He  has  essential 
rights  to  which  no  creature  may  venture  to  pretend,  yet  as 
Jesus,  the  Mediator,  the  federal  Head  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  He  has  no  heritage  apart  from  us.  All  the  glorious 
consequences  of  His  obedience  unto  death  are  the  joint  rich- 
es of  all  who  are  in  Him,  and  on  whose  behalf  He  accom- 
plished the  divine  will.  See,  He  enters  into  glory,  but  not 
for  Himself  alone,  for  it  is  written,  "  Whither  the  Forerunner 
is  for  us  entered."  Heb.  vi.  20.  Does  He  stand  in  the 
presence  of  God  ?  "  He  appears  in  the  presence  of  God 
for  us."  Heb.  ix.  24.  Consider  this,  believer.  You  have 
no  right  to  heaven  in  yourself:  your  right  lies  in  Christ.  If 
you  are  pardoned,  it  is  through  His  blood ;  if  you  are  justi- 
fied, it  is  through  His  righteousness ;  if  you  are  sanctified, 
\t  is  because  He  is  made  of  God  unto  you  sanctification  ;  if 
you  shall  be  kept  from  falling,  it  will  be  because  you  are  pre- 
served in  Christ  Jesus  ;  and  if  you  are  perfected  at  the  last, 
it  will  be  because  you  are  complete  in  Him.  Thus  Jesus  is 
magnified  —  for  all  is  in  Him  and  by  Him  ;  thus  the  inheri- 
tance is  made  certain  to  us  —  for  it  is  obtained  in  Him  ;  thus 
each  blessing  is  the  sweeter,  and  even  heaven  itself  the 
brighter,  because  it  is  Jesus  our  Beloved  "in  whom"  we 
have  obtained  all.  W^iere  is  the  man  who  shall  estimate  our 
divine  portion  ?  Weigh  the  riches  of  Christ  in  scales,  and 
His  treasures  in  balances,  and  then  think  to  count  the  treas- 
ures which  belong  to  the  saints.  Reach  the  bottom  of  Christ's 
sea  of  joy,  and  then  hope  to  understand  the  bliss  which  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him.  Overleap  the  boun» 
djiries  of  Christ's  possessions,  and  then  dream  of  a  limit  fcj 
the  fair  inheritance  of  the  elect.  "  All  things  aro  yours,  foi 
ye  are  Chrifit's,  and  Christ  is  God's." 


Jan.  31.  EVENING    READINGS.  81 

"  Then  Ahimaaz  ran  by  the  way  of  the  plain,  and  overran  Cushi* 
2  Samuel  xviii.  23. 


^'Y^TJNNTNO  is  not  everything  ;  there  is  much  in  the  way 
[^1  \'\  which  we  select :  a  swift  foot  over  hill  and  down  dale 
**^  will  not  keep  pace  with  a  slower  traveller  upon  level 
groand.  How  is  it  with  my  spiritual  journey  ?  Am  I  labor- 
ing up  the  hill  of  my  own  works  and  down  into  the  ravines 
of  my  own  humiliations  and  resolutions,  or  do  I  run  by  the 
plain  way  of  "  Believe  and  live  "  ?  How  blessed  is  it  to  wait 
upon  the  Lord  by  faith  !  The  soul  runs  without  weariness, 
and  walks  without  fainting,  in  the  way  of  believing.  Christ 
Jesus  is  the  way  of  life,  and  He  is  a  plain  way,  a  pleasant 
way,  a  way  suitable  for  the  tottering  feet  and  feeble  knees 
of  trembling  sinners  :  am  I  found  in  this  way,  or  am  I  hunt- 
ing after  another  track  such  as  priestcraft  or  metaphysics 
may  promise  me  ?  I  read  of  the  way  of  holiness,  that  the 
wayfaring  man,  though  a  fool,  shall  not  err  therein  ;  have  I 
been  delivered  from  proud  reason,  and  been  brought  as  a  lit- 
tle child  to  rest  in  Jesus'  love  and  blood  ?  If  so,  by  God's 
grace,  I  shall  outrun  the  strongest  runner  who  chooses  any 
other  path.  This  truth  I  may  remember  to  my  profit  in  my 
daily  cares  and  needs.  It  will  be  my  wisest  course  to  go  at 
once  to  my  God,  and  not  to  wander  in  a  roundabout  manner 
to  this  friend  and  that.  He  knows  my  wants  and  can  relieve 
them ;  to  whom  should  I  repair  but  to  Himself  by  the  direct 
appeal  of  prayer,  and  the  plain  argument  of  the  promise  ? 
"  Straightforward  makes  the  best  runner."  I  will  not  parley 
with  the  servants,  but  hasten  to  their  Master. 

In  reading  this  passage,  it  strikes  me  that  if  men  vie  with 
each  other  in  common  matters,  and  one  outruns  the  other,  I 
ought  to  be  in  solemn  earnestuesf  so  to  run  that  I  may  ob- 
tain. Lord,  help  me  to  gird  up  the  loins  of  my  mind,  and 
may  I  press  forward  towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  raj 
high  calling  of  God  iu  Christ  Jesus. 


32  EVENING    READINGS.  Feb.   1. 

"  Thy  love  to  me  was  wonderful"  —  2  Samuel  i.  26. 


|OME,  dear  readers,  let  each  one  of  us  speak  for  him- 
self  of  the  wonderful  love,  not  of  Jonathan,  but  of 
Jesus.  We  will  not  relate  what  we  have  been  told, 
but  the  things  which  we  have  tasted  and  handled  —  of  the 
love  of  Christ.  Thy  love  to  me,  0  Jesus,  was  wonderful 
when  I  was  a  stranger  wandering  far  from  Thee,  fulfilling  the 
desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.  Thy  love  restrained  me 
from  committing  the  sin  which  is  unto  death,  and  withheld 
me  from  self-destruction.  Thy  love  held  back  the  axe  when 
Justice  said,  "  Cut  it  down  !  why  cumbereth  it  the  ground  ?" 
Thy  love  drew  me  into  the  wilderness,  stripped  me  there,  and 
made  me  feel  the  guilt  of  my  sin,  and  the  burden  of  mine 
iniquity.  Thy  love  spake  thus  comfortably  to  me  when  I  was 
sore  dismayed  :  "  Come  unto  Me,  and  I  will  give  thee  rest." 
Oh,  how  matchless  Thy  love  when,  in  a  moment.  Thou  didst 
wash  my  sins  away,  and  make  my  polluted  soul,  which  was 
crimson  with  the  blood  of  my  nativity,  and  black  with  the 
grime  of  my  transgressions,  to  be  white  as  the  driven  snow, 
and  pure  as  the  finest  wool.  How  Thou  didst  commend  Thy 
love  when  Thou  didst  whisper  in  my  ears,  "  I  am  thine  and 
thou  art  Mine."  Kind  were  those  accents  when  Thou  saidst, 
"  The  Father  Himself  loveth  you."  And  sweet  the  moments, 
passing  sweet,  when  Thou  declaredst  to  me  "  the  love  of  th« 
Spirit."  Never  shall  my  soul  forget  those  chambers  of  fel- 
lowship where  Thou  hast  unveiled  Thyself  to  me.  Had  Mo- 
ses his  cleft  in  the  rock,  where  he  saw  the  train,  the  back 
parts  of  his  God  ?  We,  too,  have  had  our  clefts  in  the  rock, 
where  we  have  seen  the  full  splendors  of  the  Godhead  in  the 
persou  of  Christ.  Did  David  remember  the  tracks  of  the 
wild  goat,  the  land  of  Jordan  and  the  Hermonites  ?  We,  too, 
can  remember  spots  to  memory  dear,  equal  to  these  in  bless- 
edness. Precious  Lord  Jesus,  give  us  a  fresh  draught  of  Thj 
wondrous  love  to  begin  the  month  with.     Amen. 


Feb.   2.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  33 

"And  the»e  are  ancient  things." —  1  Chronicles  iv.  22. 

IS^iZ^ET  not  80  ancient  as  those  precious  things  which  are 
the  delight  of  our  souls.  Let  us  for  a  moment  re- 
y^  count  them,  telling  them  over  as  misers  count  their 
gold.  The  sovereign  choice  of  the  Father,  by  which 
He  elected  us  unto  eternal  life,  or  ever  the  earth  was,  is  a 
matter  of  vast  antiquity,  since  no  date  can  be  conceived  for 
it  by  the  mind  of  man.  We  were  chosen  from  before  the 
foundations  of  the  world.  Everlasting  love  went  with  the 
choice,  for  it  was  not  a  bare  act  of  divine  will  by  which  we 
were  set  apart,  but  the  divine  affections  were  concerned. 
The  Father  loved  us  in  and  from  the  beginning.  Here  is  a 
theme  for  daily  contemplation.  The  eternal  purpose  to  re- 
deem us  from  our  foreseen  ruin,  to  cleanse  and  sanctify  us, 
and  at  last  to  glorify  us,  was  of  infinite  antiquity,  and  runs 
Bide  by  side  with  immutable  love  and  absolute  sovereignty. 
The  covenant  is  always  described  as  being  everlasting,  and 
Jesus,  the  second  party  in  it,  had  His  goings  forth  of  old ; 
He  struck  hands  in  sacred  suretyship  long  ere  the  first  of  the 
stars  began  to  shine,  and  it  was  in  Him  that  the  elect  were 
ordained  unto  eternal  life.  Thus  in  the  divine  purpose  a 
most  blessed  covenant  union  was  established  between  the 
Son  of  God  and  His  elect  people,  which  will  remain  as  the 
foundation  of  their  safety  when  time  shall  be  no  more.  Is  it 
not  well  to  be  conversant  with  these  ancient  things  ?  Is  it 
not  shameful  that  they  should  be  so  much  neglected  and  even 
rejected  by  the  bulk  of  professors  ?  If  they  knew  more  of 
their  own  sin,  would  they  not  be  more  ready  to  adore  distin- 
guishing grace  ?  Let  us  both  admire  and  adore  to-night,  ai 
we  sing, — 

"  A  monument  of  grace, 

A  sinner  saved  by  blood ! 
The  streams  of  love  I  trace 

Up  to  the  Fountain,  God, 
And  in  His  sacred  bosom  see 
Eternal  thoughts  of  lore  to  me." 


84  EVENING    READINGS.  Feb.  3 

"  Tell  me  .  . .  where  Thou  feedest,  where  Thou  makest  Thy  flock  t« 
rest  at  noon."  —  Canticles  i.  7. 

^HESE  words  express  the  desire  of  the  believer  after 
Christ,  and  his  longing  for  present  communion  with 
Him.  "  Where  dost  Thou  feed  Thy  flock  ? "  In  Thy 
house  f  I  will  go,  if  I  may  find  Thee  there.  In  private 
prayer  f  Then  I  will  pray  without  ceasing.  In  the  Word  f 
Then  I  will  read  it  diligently.  In  thine  ordinances  ?  Then 
T  will  walk  in  them  with  all  my  heart.  Tell  me  where  Thou 
•  feedest,  for  wherever  Thou  standest  as  the  Shepherd,  there 
will  I  lie  down  as  a  sheep  ;  for  none  but  Thyself  can  supply 
my  need.  I  cannot  be  satisfied  to  be  apart  from  Thee.  My 
soul  hungers  and  thirsts  for  the  refreshment  of  Thy  presence. 
"  Where  dost  Thou  make  Thy  flock  to  rest  at  noon  ? "  for 
whether  at  dawn  or  noon,  my  only  rest  must  be  where  Thou 
art  and  Thy  beloved  flock.  My  soul's  rest  must  be  a  grace- 
given  rest,  and  can  only  be  found  in  Thee.  Where  is  the 
shadow  of  that  rock  ?  Why  should  I  not  repose  beneath  it  ? 
♦'  Why  should  I  be  as  one  that  turneth  aside  by  the  flocks 
of  thy  companions  ?  "  Thou  hast  companions  —  why  should 
I  not  be  one  ?  Satan  tells  me  I  am  unworthy ;  but  I  always 
was  unworthy,  and  yet  Thou  hast  long  loved  me  ;  and  there- 
fore my  unworthiness  cannot  be  a  bar  to  my  having  fellow- 
ship with  Thee  now.  It  is  true  I  am  weak  in  faith,  and  prone 
to  fall,  but  my  very  feebleness  is  the  reason  why  I  should 
always  be  where  Thou  feedest  Thy  flock,  that  I  may  be 
strengthened,  and  preserved  in  safety  beside  the  still  waters. 
Why  should  I  turn  aside  ?  There  is  no  reason  why  I  should, 
but  there  are  a  thousand  reasons  why  I  should  not,  for  Jesus 
beckons  me  to  come.  If  He  withdraw  Himself  a  little,  it  is 
but  to  make  me  prize  His  presence  more.  Now  that  I  am 
grieved  and  distressed  at  being  away  from  Him,  He  will  lead 
me  yet  again  to  that  sheltered  nook  where  the  lambs  of  Hii 
fold  are  sheltered  from  the  burning  sun.  • 


Feb.  4.  ETBNINO    REAJ)IN08.  Si 


"Your  refuge  from  the  avenger  of  blood." — Joshua  xx.  3. 

^2^]J?T  is  said  that  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  cities  of  refuge 
2^1 '^  were  so  arranged,  that  any  man  might  reach  one  of 
P/^ky  them  within  half  a  day  at  the  utmost.  Even  so  thf 
word  of  our  salvation  is  near  to  us ;  Jesus  is  a  present  Sav- 
iour, and  the  way  to  Him  is  short ;  it  is  but  a  simple  renun- 
ciation of  our  own  merit,  and  a  laying  hold  of  Jesus,  to  be 
our  all  in  all.  With  regard  to  the  roads  to  the  city  of  ref- 
uge, we  are  told  that  they  were  strictly  preserved,  every  river 
was  bridged,  and  every  obstruction  removed,  so  that  the  man 
who  fled  might  find  an  easy  passage  to  the  city.  Once  a  year 
the  elders  went  along  the  roads  and  saw  to  their  order,  so 
that  nothing  might  impede  the  flight  of  any  one,  and  cause 
him,  through  delay,  to  be  overtaken  and  slain.  How  gra- 
ciously do  the  promises  of  the  gospel  remove  stumbling- 
blocks  from  the  way !  Wherever  there  were  by-roads  and 
turnings,  there  were  fixed  up  hand-posts,  with  this  inscription 
upon  them  :  "  To  the  city  of  refuge  !  "  This  is  a  picture  of 
the  road  to  Christ  Jesus.  It  is  no  roundabout  road  of  the 
law  ;  it  is  no  obeying  this,  that,  and  the  other  ;  it  is  a  straight 
road  :  "  Believe,  and  live."  It  is  a  road  so  hard,  that  no 
self-righteous  man  can  ever  tread  it;  but  so  easy,  that  every 
sinner,  who  knows  himself  to  be  a  sinner,  may  by  it  find  his 
way  to  heaven.  No  sooner  did  the  man-slayer  reach  the  out- 
works of  the  city  than  he  was  safe  ;  it  was  not  necessary  for 
him  to  pass  far  within  the  walls,  but  the  suburbs  themselves 
were  suflScient  protection.  Learn  hence,  that  if  you  do  but 
touch  the  hem  of  Christ's  garment,  you  shall  be  made  whole; 
if  you  do  but  lay  hold  upon  him  with  "  faith  as  a  grain  of 
mustard  seed,"  you  are  safe. 

"  A  little  genuine  grace  Ineurca 
The  death  of  all  our  sins." 

Only  waste  no  time,  loiter  not  by  the  way,  for  the  avenger 
of  blood  is  swift  of  foot ;  and  it  may  be  he  is  at  your  heela 
at  this  still  hour  of  eventide. 


36  EVENING    READINGS.  Feb.  5 

"At  thai  time  Jesus  answered."  —  Matthew  xi.  25. 

SHIS  is  a  singular  way  in  which  to  commence  a  verse : 
ll  "  At  that  time  Jesus  answered."  If  you  will  look  at 
the  context  you  will  not  perceive  that  any  person  had 
asked  Him  a  question,  or  that  He  was  in  conversation  with 
any  human  being.  Yet  it  is  written,  "  Jesus  answered  and 
said,  I  thank  Thee,  0  Father."  When  a  man  answers,  he 
answers  a  person  who  has  been  speaking  to  him.  Who,  then, 
had  spoken  to  Christ  ?  His  Father.  Yet  there  is  no  record 
of  it ;  and  this  should  teach  us  that  Jesus  had  constant  fel- 
lowship with  His  Father,  and  that  God  spake  into  His  heart 
so  often,  so  continually,  that  it  was  not  a  circumstance  sin- 
gular enough  to  be  recorded.  It  was  the  habit  and  life  of 
Jesus  to  talk  with  God.  Even  as  Jesus  was,  in  this  world, 
so  are  we  ;  let  us,  therefore,  learn  the  lesson  which  this  sim- 
ple statement  concerning  Him  teaches  us.  May  we  likewise 
have  silent  fellowship  with  the  Father,  so  that  often  we  may 
answer  Him,  and  though  the  world  wotteth  not  to  whom  we 
speak,  may  we  be  responding  to  that  secret  voice  unheard 
of  any  other  ear,  which  our  own  ear,  opened  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  recognizes  with  joy.  God  has  spoken  to  us ;  let  us 
speak  to  God  —  either  to  set  to  our  seal  that  God  is  true  and 
faithful  to  His  promise,  or  to  confess  the  sin  of  which  the 
Spirit  of.God  has  convinced  us,  or  to  acknowledge  the  mercy 
which  God's  providence  has  given,  or  to  express  assent  to 
the  great  truths  which  God  the  Holy  Ghost  has  opened  to 
our  understanding.  What  a  privilege  is  intimate  communion 
with  the  Father  of  our  spirits !  It  is  a  secret  hidden  from 
the  world,  a  joy  with  which  even  the  nearest  friend  inter- 
meddleth  not.  If  we  would  hear  the  whispers  of  God's  love, 
our  ear  must  be  purged  and  fitted  to  listen  to  His  voice. 
This  very  •evening  may  our  hearts  be  in  such  a  state,  that 
when  God  speaks  to  us,  we,  like  Jesus,  may  be  prepared  a( 
ODce  to  answer  Him. 


Feb.  6.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  87 


"  Pray  one  for  another."  —  James  v.  16. 

•S  an  encouragement  cheerfully  to  offer  intercessory 
j '^  prayer,  remember  that  such,  prayer  is  the  stueetest  God 
*^  ever  hears,  for  the  prayer  of  Christ  is  of  this  charac- 
ter. In  all  the  incense  which  our  Great  High  Priest  now 
puts  into  the  golden  censer,  there  is  not  a  single  grain  for 
Himself.  His  intercession  must  be  the  most  acceptable  of 
all  supplications  —  and  the  more  like  our  prayer  is  to  Christ's, 
the  sweeter  it  will  be  ;  thus  while  petitions  for  ourselves  will 
be  accepted,  our  pleadings  for  others,  having  in  them  more 
of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  more  love,  more  faith,  more  broth- 
erly kindness,  will  be,  through  the  precious  merits  of  Jesus, 
the  sweetest  oblation  that  we  can  offer  to  God,  the  very  fat 
of  our  sacrifice.  Remember,  again,  that  intercessory  prayer 
is  exceedingly  prevalent.  What  wonders  it  has  wrought ! 
The  Word  of  God  teems  with  its  marvellous  deeds.  Be- 
liever, thou  hast  a  mighty  engine  in  thy  hand,  use  it  well, 
use  it  constantly,  use  it  with  faith,  and  thou  shall  surely  be  a 
benefactor  to  thy  brethren.  When  thou  hast  the  King's  ear, 
speak  to  Him  for  the  suffering  members  of  His  body.  When 
thou  art  favored  to  draw  very  near  to  His  throne,  and  tho 
King  saith  to  thee,  "  Ask,  and  I  will  give  thee  what  thou 
wilt,"  let  thy  petitions  be,  not  for  thyself  alone,  but  for  tho 
many  who  need  His  aid.  If  thou  hast  grace  at  all,  and  art 
not  an  intercessor,  that  grace  must  be  small  as  a  grain  of 
mustard  seed.  Thou  hast  just  enough  grace  to  float  thy  soul 
clear  from  the  quicksand,  but  thou  hast  no  deep  floods  of 
grace,  or  else  thou  wouldst  carry  in  thy  joyous  bark  a  weighty 
cargo  of  the  wants  of  others,  and  thou  wouldst  bring  back 
from  thy  Lord,  for  them,  rich  blessings,  which  but  for  thed 
they  might  not  have  obtained. 

"  O,  let  my  hands  forp^et  their  skill, 
My  tongue  be  bilent,  cold,  and  still, 
This  bounding  heart  forget  to  beat. 
If  I  [oTg«t  the  mercy-seat ! " 

4 


S8  ETENING    READINGS.  FeLi.   7. 

"And  they  heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  them,  Come 
tip  hither."  —  Revelation  xi.  12. 

^|i|jl^ITHOUT  considering  these  words  in  their  prophetical 
Wiwh  connection,  let  us  regard  them  as  the  invitation  of 
*^^^  our  great  Forerunner  to  His  sanctified  people.  In 
due  time  there  shall  be  heard  "  a  great  voice  from  heaven" 
to  every  believer,  saving  "  Come  up  hither."  This  should 
be  to  the  saints  the  subject  of  joyful  anticipation.  Instead 
of  dreading  the  time  when  we  shall  leave  this  world  to  go 
unto  the  Father,  we  should  be  panting  for  the  hour  of  our 
emancipation.     Our  song  should  be  — 

"  My  heart  is  with  Him  on  His  throne, 
And  ill  can  brook  delay; 
Each  moment  listening  for  the  voice, 
'  Kise  up,  and  come  away.'  " 

We  are  not  called  doivn  to  the  grave,  but  tip  to  the  skies. 
Our  heaven-born  spirits  should  long  for  their  native  air. 
Yet,  should  the  celestial  summons  be  the  object  of  patient 
waiting.  Our  God  knows  best  when  to  bid  us  "  Come  up 
hither."  We  must  not  wish  to  antedate  the  period  of  our 
departure.     I  know  that  strong  love  will  make  us  cry, 

"  O  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  waves  divide, 
And  laud  us  all  in  heaven ;  " 

but  patience  must  have  her  perfect  work.  God  ordains  with 
accurate  wisdom  the  most  fitting  time  for  the  redeemed  to 
abide  below.  Surely,  if  there  could  be  regrets  in  heaven, 
the  saints  might  mourn  that  they  did  not  live  longer  here  to 
do  more  good.  Oh,  for  more  sheaves  for  my  Lord's  garner  ! 
more  jewels  for  His  crown  !  But  how,  unless  there  be  more 
work  ?  True,  there  is  the  other  side  of  it,  that,  living  so 
briefly,  oui  sins  are  tht  fewer  ;  but  oh  !  when  we  are  fully 
serving  God,  and  He  is  giving  us  to  scatter  precious  seed, 
and  reap  a  hundred  fold,  we  would  even  say  it  is  well  for  ua 
to  abide  where  we  are.  Whether  our  Master  shall  say  "  go," 
or  "  stay,"  let  us  be  equally  well  pleased,  so  long  as  He  in« 
dulges  us  with  His  presence. 


Feb.   8.  EVENING    READINGS.  39 

"  He  shall  save  His  people  from  their  sins."  —  Matthew  i.  21. 

I'jPI^ANY  persons,  if  they  are  asked  what  they  understand 
W^fll  by  salvation,  will  reply,  "  Being  saved  from  hell  and 
*^*-V  taken  to  heaven."  This  is  one  result  of  salvation, 
but  it  is  not  one  tithe  of  what  is  contained  in  that  boon.  It 
is  true  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  does  redeem  all  Uis  people 
^rom  the  wrath  to  come  ;  He  saves  them  from  the  fearful 
condemnation  which  their  sins  had  brought  upon  them  ;  but 
His  triumph  is  far  n\ore  complete  than  this.  He  saves  His 
people  "  from  their  sins."  Oh  !  sweet  deliverance  from  our 
worst  foes.  Where  Christ  works  a  saving  work.  He  casts 
Satan  from  his  throne,  and  will  not  let  him  be  master  any 
longer.  No  man  is  a  true  Christian  if  sin  reigns  in  his  mor- 
tal body.  Sin  will  be  in  us  —  it  will  never  be  utterly  ex- 
pelled till  the  spirit  enters  glory  ;  but  it  will  never  have 
dominion.  Thore  will  be  a  striving  for  dominion  —  a  lusting 
against  the  no"?  law  and  the  new  spirit  which  God  has  im- 
planted —  bvt  sin  will  never  get  the  upper  hand  so  as  to  be 
absolute  monarch  of  our  nature.  Christ  will  be  Master  of 
the  heart,  and  sin  must  be  mortified.  The  Lion  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah  shall  prevail,  and  the  dragon  shall  be  cast  out. 
Professor  !  is  sin  subdued  in  you  ?  If  your  life  is  unholy 
your  heart  is  unchanged  ;  and  if  your  heart  is  unchanged  you 
are  an  unsaved  person.  If  the  Saviour  has  not  sanctified 
you,  renewed  you,  given  you  a  hatred  of  sin  and  a  love  of 
holiness.  He  has  done  nothing  in  you  of  a  saving  character. 
The  grace  which  does  not  make  a  man  better  than  others  is 
a  worthless  counterfeit.  Christ  saves  His  people  not  in  their 
sins,  hat/rom  them.  "Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord."  "  Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ 
depart  from  iniquity."  If  not  saved  from  sin,  how  shall  we 
hope  to  be  counted  among  His  people.  Lord,  save  me  even 
now  from  all  evil,  and  enable  me  to  honor  my  Saviour. 


40  EVENING    EEADIN08.  Feb.   9. 

"  Lead  us  not  into  temptation ;  but  deliver  us  from  evil  [or  the  crtl 
one]."  —  Luke  xi.  4. 

^M^HAT  we  are  taught  to  seek  or  shun  in  prayer,  wo 
Wv3/'i  ^^^"^^  equally  pursue  or  avoid  in  action.  Very 
^'*^*^  earnestly,  therefore,  should  we  avoid  temptation, 
seeking  to  walk  so  guardedly  in  the  path  of  obedience,  that 
wc  may  never  tempt  the  devil  to  tempt  us.  We  are  not  t« 
enter  the  thicket  in  search  of  the  lion.  Dearly  might  we 
pay  for  such  presumption.  This  lion  may  cross  our  path,  or 
leap  upon  us  from  the  thicket,  but  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with  hunting  him.  He  that  meeteth  with  him,  even  though 
he  winneth  the  day,  will  find  it  a  stern  struggle.  Let  the 
Christian  pray  that  he  may  be  spared  the  encounter.  Our 
Saviour,  who  had  experience  of  what  temptation  meant, 
thus  earnestly  admonished  His  disciples  —  "  Pray  that  ye 
enter  not  into  temptation." 

But  let  us  do  as  we  will,  we  shall  be  tempted  ;  hence  the 
prayer  "  deliver  us  from  evil."  God  had  one  Son  without 
sin  ;  but  He  has  no  son  without  temptation.  The  natural 
man  is  born  to  trouble  as  the  sparks  fly  upwards,  and  the 
Christian  man  is  born  to  temptation  just  as  certainly.  We 
must  be  always  on  our  watch  against  Satan,  because,  like  a 
thief,  he  gives  no  intimation  of  his  approach.  Believers 
who  have  had  experience  of  the  ways  of  Satan,  know  that 
there  are  certain  seasons  when  he  will  most  probably  make 
an  attack,  just  as  at  certain  seasons  bleak  winds  may  be  ex- 
pected ;  thus  the  Christian  is  put  on  a  double  guard  by  fear 
of  danger,  and  the  danger  is  averted  by  preparing  to  meet 
it.  Prevention  is  better  than  cure  :  it  is  better  to  be  so  well 
armed  that  the  devil  will  not  attack  you,  than  to  endure  the 
perils  of  the  fight,  even  though  you  come  off  a  conqueror. 
Pray  this  evening  first  that  you  may  not  be  tempted,  and 
next,  that  if  temptation  be  permitted,  you  may  be  delivered 
from  the  evil  oue. 


Fob.   10.  EVENING    READINGS.  41 

"/  haee  blotted  out,  as  a  thick  cloud,  thy  transgressions,  and,  as  a 
cloud,  thy  sins :  return  unto  Me  ;  for  I  have  redeemed  thee."  — 
Isaiah  xliv.  22. 

OTTENTIVELY  observe  the  instbuctive  simili- 
tude :  our  sins  are  like  a  cloud.  As  clouds  are  of 
many  shapes  and  shades,  so  are  our  transgressions. 
As  clouds  obscure  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  darken  the  land- 
scape beneath,  so  do  our  sins  hide  from  us  the  light  of  Je- 
hovah's face,  and  cause  us  to  sit  in  the  shadow  of  death. 
They  are  earth-born  things,  and  rise  from  the  miry  places 
of  our  nature ;  and  when  so  collected  that  their  measure  is 
full,  they  threaten  us  with  storm  and  tempest.  Alas  !  that, 
unlike  clouds,  our  sins  yield  us  no  genial  showers,  but  rather 
threaten  to  deluge  us  with  a  fiery  flood  of  destruction.  0 
ye  black  clouds  of  sin,  how  can  it  be  fair  weather  with  our 
souls  while  ye  remain  ? 

Let  our  joyful  eye  dwell  upon  the  notable  act  of  divine 
mercy  —  "  blotting  out."  God  Himself  appears  upon  the 
scene,  and  in  divine  benignity,  instead  of  manifesting  His 
anger,  reveals  His  grace  :  He  at  once  and  forever  eflfectu- 
ally  removes  the  mischief,  not  by  blowing  away  the  cloud, 
but  by  blotting  it  out  from  existence  once  for  all.  Against 
the  justified  man  no  sin  remains ;  the  great  transaction  of 
the  cross  has  eternally  removed  His  transgressions  from  Him, 
On  Calvary's  summit  the  great  deed  by  which  the  sin  of  all 
the  chosen  was  forever  put  away,  was  completely  and  effectu- 
ally performed. 

Practically  let  us  obey  the  gkacious  commakd,  '*  return 
unto  me."  Why  should  pardoned  sinners  live  at  a  distance 
from  their  God  ?  If  we  have  been  forgiven  all  our  sins,  let 
no  legal  fear  withhold  us  from  the  boldest  access  to  our 
Lord.  Let  baekslidings  be  bemoaned,  but  let  us  not  perse- 
vere in  them.  To  the  greatest  possible  nearness  of  com- 
munion with  the  Lord,  let  us,  in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
strive  mightily  to  return.  0  Lord,  this  night  restore  us  ! 
4* 


42  EVENING    KEADINGS.  F^b.    11 


"  Thou  hast  left  thy  first  love."  —  Revelation  ii  4. 

^^i^VER  to  be  remembered  is  that  best  and  brightest  oi 
flt^fem  hours  when  first  we  saw  the  Lord,  lost  our  burden.j 
^— -^^  received  the  roll  of  promise,  rejoiced  in  full  salva 
tion,  and  went  on  our  way  in  peace.  It  was  spring  time  ii 
the  soul ;  the  winter  was  past ;  the  mutterings  of  SinaiV 
tdunders  were  hushed  ;  the  flaf  hings  of  its  lightnings  were 
no  more  perceived  ;  God  was  beheld  as  reconciled  ;  the  law 
threatened  no  vengeance,  justice  demanded  no  punishment. 
Then  the  flowers  appeared  in  our  heart ;  hope,  love,  peace, 
and  patience  sprung  from  the  sod  ;  the  hyacinth  of  repent- 
ance, the  snowdrop  of  pure  holiness,  the  crocus  of  golden 
faith,  the  daffodil  of  early  love,  all  decked  the  garden  of  the 
soul.  The  time  of  the  singing  of  birds  was  come,  and  we 
rejoiced  with  thanksgiving  ;  we  magnified  the  holy  name  of 
our  forgiving  God,  and  our  resolve  was,  "  Lord,  I  am  Thine, 
wholly  Thine  ;  all  I  am,  and  all  I  have,  I  would  devote  to 
Thee.  Thou  hast  bought  me  with  Thy  blood  —  let  me  spend 
myself  and  be  spent  in  thy  service.  In  life  and  in  death  let 
me  be  consecrated  to  Thee."  now  have  we  kept  this  resolve  f 
Our  espousal  love  burned  with  a  holy  flame  of  dcvotedness 
to  Jesus  —  is  it  the  same  7iow  f  Might  not  Jesus  well  say 
to  us,  "  I  have  somewhat  against  thee,  because  thou  hast  left 
thy  first  love  "  ?  Alas  !  it  is  but  little  we  have  done  for  our 
Master's  glory.  Our  winter  has  lasted  all  too  long.  We 
are  as  cold  as  ice  when  we  should  feel  a  summer's  glow,  and 
bloom  with  sacred  flowers.  We  give  to  God  pence  when  He 
deserveth  pounds,  nay,  deserveth  our  heart's  blood  to  be 
coined  in  the  service  of  His  church  and  of  His  truth.  But 
shall  we  continue  thus  ?  0  Lord,  after  Thou  hast  so  richly 
blessed  us,  shall  we  be  ungrateful,  and  become  indifferent  to 
Thy  good  cause  and  work  ?  0  quicken  us  that  we  may  re- 
turn to  our  first  love,  and  do  our  first  works  !  Send  us  a 
genial  spring,  0  Sun  of  Bighteousness. 


Feb.    12.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  43 

"  He  shall  abide  with  yoti  forever."  —  Psalm  Ixi.  7. 

■q^TIE  Great  Father  revealed  Himself  to  believers  of  old 
l^ljt^  before  the  coming  of  His  Son,  and  was  known  to 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  as  the  God  Almighty. 
Then  Jesus  came,  and  the  ever-blessed  Son  in  His  own  prop- 
er person,  was  the  delight  of  His  people's  eyes.  At  the  time 
of  the  Kedeemcr's  ascension,  the  Holy  Spirit  became  the 
head  of  the  present  dispensation,  and  His  power  was  glori- 
ously manifested  on  and  after  Pentecost.  He  remains  at  this 
hour  the  present  Immanuel  —  God  with  us,  dwelling  in  and 
with  His  people,  quickening,  guiding,  and  ruling  in  their 
midst.  Is  His  presence  recognized  as  it  ought  to  be  ?  We 
cannot  control  His  working  ;  He  is  most  sovereign  in^all  His 
operations,  but  are  we  suflSiciently  anxious  to  obtain  His  help, 
or  sufficiently  watchful  lest  we  provoke  Him  to  withdraw  His 
aid  ?  Without  him  we  can  do  nothing,  but  by  His  almighty 
energy  the  most  extraordinary  results  can  be  produced  :  ev- 
erything depends  upon  His  manifesting  or  concealing  His 
power.  Do  we  always  look  up  to  Him  both  for  our  inner  life 
and  our  outward  service  with  the  respectful  dependence  which 
is  fitting  ?  Do  we  not  too  often  run  before  His  call  and  act 
independently  of  His  aid.  Let  us  humble  ourselves  this 
evening  for  past  neglects,  and  now  entreat  the  heavenly  dew 
to  rest  upon  us,  the  sacred  oil  to  anoint  us,  the  celestial 
flame  to  burn  within  us.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  no  temporary 
gift.  He  abides  with  the  saints.  We  have  but  to  seek  Him 
aright,  and  He  will  be  found  of  us.  He  is  jealous,  but  He 
is  pitiful ;  if  He  leaves  in  anger,  He  returns  in  mercy.  Con- 
descending and  tender,  He  does  not  weary  of  us,  but  waits 
to  be  gracious  still. 

Sin  has  been  hammering'  mj  bouI 
Unto  a  hardness,  roid  of  h've. 
Let  grace  work  too,  and  Ohiny  MMil 
Drop  from  above. 


44  EVENING    KEADING8.  Feb.   13. 

"  There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation."  —  Romans  viii.  1. 

^OME,  my  soul,  think  thou  of  this.  Believing  in 
'i^-^  Jesu?,  thou  art  actually  and  effectually  cleared  from 
guilt;  thou  art  led  out  of  thy  prison.  Thou  art  no 
more  in  fetters  as  a  bond-slave  ;  thou  art  delivered  now  from 
tlie  bondage  of  the  law;  thou  art  freed  from  sin,  and  canst 
walk  at  large  as  a  freeman  ;  thy  Saviour's  blood  has  procured 
thy  full  discharge.  Thou  hast  a  right  now  to  approach  thy 
Father's  throne.  No  flames  of  vengeance  are  there  to  scare 
thee  now;  no  fiery,  sword ;  justice  cannot. smite  the  inno- 
cent. Thy  disabilities  are  taken  away  :  thou  wast  once  una- 
ble to  see  thy  Father's  face  ;  thou  canst  see  it  now.  Thou 
couldst  not  speak  with  Him  ;  but  now  thou  hast  access  with 
boldness.  Once  there  was  a  fear  of  hell  upon  thee  ;  but  thou 
hast  no  fear  of  it  now,  for  how  can  there  be  punishment  for 
the  guiltless  ?  He  who  believeth  is  not  condemned,  and  can- 
not be  punished.  And  more  than  all,  the  privileges  thou 
mightst  have  enjoyed,  if  thou  hadst  never  sinned,  are  thine 
now  thou  art  justified.  All  the  blessings  which  thou  wouldst 
have  had  if  thou  hadst  kept  the  law,  and  more,  are  thine,  be- 
cause Christ  has  kept  it  for  thee.  All  the  love  and  the  ac- 
ceptance which  perfect  obedience  could  have  obtained  of  God, 
belong  to  thee,  because  Christ  was  perfectly  obedient  on  thy 
behalf,  and  hath  imputed  all  His  merits  to  thy  account,  that 
thou  mightst  be  exceeding  rich  through  Him,  who  for  thy  sakrf 
became  exceeding  poor.  Oh  !  how  great  the  debt  of  love 
and  gratitude  thou  owest  to  thy  Saviour ! 

"  A  debtor  to  mercy  alone. 

Of  covenant  mercy  I  sing; 
Nor  fear  with  Thy  righteousnesB  on, 

My  person  and  oflerings  to  bring : 
The  terrors  of  law  and  of  God, 

With  me  can  have  nothing  to  do ; 
My  Saviour's  obedience  and  blood 

Hide  all  my  transgreesiena  from  riew." 


Peb.   14.  EVENING    READINGS.  45 


'  She  was  healed  immediately"  —  Luke  viii.  47. 

j^NE  of  the  most  touching  and  teaching  of  the  Saviour's 
i\/i^  niir.acles  is  before  us  to-night.  The  woman  was  very 
f^^^-^^  ignorant.  She  imagined  that  virtue  came  out  of 
Christ  by  a  law  of  necessity,  without  His  knowledge  or  direct 
will.  Moreover,  she  was  a  stranger  to  the  generosity  of  Je- 
sus' character,  or  she  would  not  have  gone  behind  to  steal 
the  cure  which  He  was  so  ready  to  bestow.  Misery  should 
always  place  itself  right  in  the  face  of  mercy.  Had  she 
known  the  love,  of  Jesus'  heart,  she  would  have  said,  "  I 
have  but  to  put  myself  where  He  can  see  me  —  His  omnis- 
cience will  teach  Him  my  case,  and  His  love  at  once  will  work 
my  cure."  We  admire  her  faith,  but  we  marvel  at  her  igno- 
rance. After  she  had  obtained  the  cure,  she  rejoiced  with 
trembling  :  glad  was  she  that  the  divine  virtue  had  wrought 
a  marvel  in  her ;  but  she  feared  lest  Christ  should  retract  the 
blessing,  and  put  a  negative  upon  the  grant  of  His  grace : 
little  did  she  comprehend  the  fulness  of  His  love  !  We  have 
not  so  clear  a  view  of  Him  as  we  could  wish  ;  we  know  not  the 
heights  and  depths  of  His  love  ;  but  we  know  of  a  surety  that 
He  is  too  good  to  withdraw  from  a  trembling  soul  the  gift 
which  it  has  been  able  to  obtain.  But  here  is  the  marvel  of 
it :  little  as  was  her  knowledge,  her  faith,  because  it  was  real 
faith,  saved  her,  and  saved  her  at  once.  There  was  no  tedious 
delay  —  faith's  miracle  was  instantaneous.  If  we  have  faith 
as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  salvation  is  our  present  and  eter- 
nal possession.  If  in  the  list  of  the  Lord's  children  we  are 
written  as  the  feeblest  of  the  family,  yet,  being  heirs  through 
faith,  no  power,  human  or  devilish,  can  eject  us  from  salva- 
tion.  If  we  cannot  clasp  the  Lord  in  our  hands  with  Simeon, 
if  we  dare  nt  lean  our  heads  upon  His  bosom  with  John, 
yet  if  we  can  venture  in  the  press  behind  Him,  and  touch  the 
hem  of  His  garment,  we  are  made  whole.  Courage,  timid 
one!  thy  faith  hath  saved  thee;  go  in  peace.  '■'■Being  justi- 
fied by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God." 


46  ETENING    HEADINGS.  Feb.   15> 

"  Whereby  they  have  made  Thee  glad"  —  Psalm  xlv.  8. 

JND  who  are  thus  privileged  to  make  the  Saviour  glad  ? 
His  church  —  His  people.  But  is  it  possible  ?  He 
makes  v^  glad,  but  how  can  we  make  Him  glad?  By 
our  love.  Ah  !  we  think  it  so  cold,  so  faint ;  and  so,  indeed, 
we  must  sorrowfully  confess  it  to  be,  but  it  is  very  sweet  to 
Christ.  Hear  His  own  eulogy  of  that  love  in  the  golden 
Canticle  :  "  How  fair  is  thy  love,  my  sister,  my  spouse  !  how 
much  better  is  thy  love  than  wine  !  "  See,  loving  heart,  how 
He  delights  in  you.  When  you  lean  your  head  on  His  bosom, 
you  not  only  receive,  but  you  give  Him  joy  ;  when  you  gaze 
with  love  upon  His  all-glorious  face,  you  not  only  obtain  com- 
fort, but  impart  delight.  Our  ]3 rat se,  too,  gives  Hira  joy  — 
not  the  song  of  the  lips  alone,  but  the  melody  of  the  heart's 
deep  gratitude.  Our  gifts,  too,  are  very  pleasant  to  Him ; 
He  loves  to  see  us  lay  our  time,  our  talents,  our  substance 
upon  His  altar,  not  for  the  value  of  what  we  give,  but  for  the 
sake  of  the  motive  from  which  the  gift  springs.  T6  Him  the 
lowly  offerings  of  His  saints  are  more  acceptable  than  thou- 
sands of  gold  and  silver.  Soilness  is  like  frankincense  and 
myrrh  to  Him.  Forgive  your  enemy,  and  you  make  Christ 
glad ;  distribute  of  your  substance  to  the  poor,  and  He  re- 
ioices ;  be  the  means  of  saving  souls,  and  you  give  Him  to 
see  of  the  travail  of  His  soul ;  proclaim  His  gospel,  and  you 
are  a  sweet  savor  unto  Him  ;  go  among  the  ignorant  and  lift 
up  the  cross,  and  you  have  given  Him  honor.  It  is  in  your 
power  even  now  to  break  the  alabaster  bos,  and  pour  the 
precious  oil  of  joy  upon  His  head,  as  did  the  woman  of  old, 
whose  nieaiorial  is  to  this  day  set  forth  wherever  the  gospel 
e  preached.  Will  you  be  backward  then  ?  Will  you  not 
perfume  your  beloved  Lord  with  the  myrrh,  and  aloes,  and 
cassia  of  your  heart's  praise  ?  Yes,  ye  ivory  palaces,  ye 
shall  hear  the  songs  of  the  saints  1 


Feb.    16.  ETENINO    READINGS.  47 


"  Thy  good  /Sip/ri^."  — Nehemiah  ix.  20. 

^OMMON,  too  common  is  the  sin  of  forgetting  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Tbi?  is  folly  and  ingratitude.  He  deserve! 
well  at  our  hands,  for  He  is  good,  supremely  good. 
As  God,  He  is  good  essentially.  He  shares  in  the  threefold 
ascription  of  Holy,  holy,  holy,  which  ascends  to  the  Triune 
Jehovah.  Unmixed  purity,  and  truth,  and  grace  is  He.  He 
is  good  benevolently,  tenderly  bearing  with  our  waywardness, 
striving  with  our  rebellious  wills ;  quickening  us  from  our 
death  in  sin,  and  then  training  us  for  the  skies  as  a  loving 
nurse  fosters  her  child.  How  generous,  forgiving,  and  ten- 
der is  this  patient  Spirit  of  God.  He  is  good  operatively. 
All  His  works  are  good  in  the  most  eminent  degree :  He 
suggests  good  thoughts,  prompts  good  actions,  reveals  good 
truths,  applies  good  promises,  assists  in  good  attainments, 
and  leads  to  good  results.  There  is  no  spiritual  good  in  all 
the  world  of  which  He  is  not  the  author  and  sustainer,  and 
heaven  itself  will  owe  the  perfect  character  of  its  redeemed 
inhabitants  to  His  work.  He  is  good  officially ;  whether  as 
Comforter,  Instructor,  Guide,  Sanctifier,  Quickener,  or  In- 
tercessor, He  fulfils  His  office  well,  and  each  work  is  fraught 
with  the  highest  good  to  the  church  of  God.  They  who  yield 
to  His  influences  become  good,  they  who  obey  his  impulses 
do  good,  they  who  live  under  His  power  receive  good.  Let 
us  then  act  towards  so  good  a  person  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  gratitude.  Let  us  revere  His  person,  and  adore 
Him  as  God  over  all,  blessed  forever  ;  let  us  own  His  power, 
and  our  need  of  Him,  by  waiting  upon  Him  in  all  our  holy 
enterprises;  let  us  hourly  seek  His  aid,  and  never  grieve 
Him;  and  let  us  speak  to  His  praise  whenever  o(;casion  oc- 
curs. The  church  will  never  prosper  until  more  reverently 
it  believes  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  is  so  good  and  kind,  that 
it  is  sad  indeed  that  He  should  be  grieved  by  slights  aud 
negligences. 


48  EVENING    KEADINGS.  Feb.   17 


"Whereas  the  Lord  was  there"  —  Ezekiel  xxxv.  10. 

^DOM'S  princes  saw  the  whole  country  left  desolate, 
W^m  and  counted  upon  its  easy  conquest ;  but  there  vsas 
one  great  difficulty  in  their  way  —  quite  unknown  to 
them  —  "  The  Lord  was  there  ;  "  and  in  His  presence  lay  the 
special  security  of  the  chosen  land.  Whatever  may  be  the 
machinations  and  devices  of  the  enemies  of  God's  people, 
there  is  still  the  same  eflfectual  barrier  to  thwart  their  design. 
The  saints  are  God's  heritage,  and  He  is  in  the  midst  of  them, 
and  will  protect  His  own.  What  comfort  this  assurance 
yields  us  in  our  troubles  and  spiritual  conflicts  !  We  are 
constantly  opposed,  and  yet  perpetually  preserved  !  How 
often  Satan  shoots  his  arrows  against  our  faith,  but  our  faith 
defies  the  power  of  hell's  fiery  darts  ;  they  are  not  only  turned 
aside,  but  they  are  quenched  upon  its  shield,  for  "  the  Lord 
is  there."  Our  good  tvorks  are  the  subjects  of  Satan's  at- 
tacks. A  saint  never  yet  had  a  virtue  or  a  grace  which  was 
not  tne  target  for  hellish  bullets  :  whether  it  was  hope  bright 
and  sparkling,  or  love  warm  and  fervent,  or  patience  all- 
enduring,  or  zeal  flaming  like  coals  of  fire,  the  old  enemy  of 
everything  that  is  good  has  tried  to  destroy  it.  The  only 
reason  why  anything  virtuous  or  lovely  survives  in  us  is  this, 
"  the  Lord  is  there." 

If  the  Lord  be  with  us  through  life,  we  need  not  fear  for 
our  dying  confidence ;  for  when  we  come  to  die,  we  shall  find 
that "  the  Lord  is  there ; "  where  the  billows  are  most  tempes- 
tuous, and  the  water  is  most  chill,  we  shall  feel  the  bottom, 
and  know  that  it  is  good  :  our  feet  shall  stand  upon  the  Rock 
of  Ages  when  time  is  passing  away.  Beloved,  from  the  first 
of  a  Christian's  life  to  the  last,  the  only  reason  why  he  does 
not  perish  is  because  "  the  Lord  is  there."  When  the  God  of 
everlasting  love  shall  change  and  leave  His  elect  to  perish, 
then  may  the  Church  of  God  be  destroyed  ;  but  not  till  then, 
because  it  is  written,  Jehovah  Shammah.  "  the  Lord  i$ 
there." 


Keb.   18.  EVENING    EEADINGS.  49 

"  Father,  I  have  sinned."  —  Luke  xv.  18. 

MfT  is  quite  certain  that  those  whom  Christ  has  washed 
»'^  in  His  precious  blood  need  not  make  a  confession  of 
sin,  as  culprits  or  criminals,  before  God  the  Judge, 
for  Christ  has  forever  taken  away  all  their  sins  in  a  legal 
sense,  so  that  they  no  longer  stand  where  they  can  be  con- 
demned, but  are  once  for  all  accepted  in  the  Beloved ;  but 
having  become  children,  and  offending  as  children,  ought 
they  not  every  day  to  go  before  their  heavenly  Father  and 
confess  their  sin,  and  acknowledge  their  iniquity  in  that  char- 
acter ?  Nature  teaches  that  it  is  the  duty  of  erring  children 
to  make  a  confession  \o  their  earthly  father,  and  the  grace  of 
God  in  the  heart  teaches  us  that  we,  as  Christians,  owe  the 
same  duty  to  our  heavenly  Father.  We  daily  offend,  and 
ought  not  to  rest  without  daily  pardon.  For,  supposing  that 
my  trespasses  against  my  Father  are  not  at  once  taken  to 
Him  to  be  washed  away  by  the  cleansing  power  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  what  will  be  the  consequence  ?  If  I  have  not  sought 
forgiveness  and  been  washed  from  these  offences  against  my 
Father,  I  shall  feel  at  a  distance  from  Him ;  I  shall  doubt 
His  love  to  me ;  I  shall  tremble  at  Him ;  I  shall  be  afraid  to 
pray  to  Him  ;  I  shall  grow  like  the  prodigal,  who,  although 
still  a  child,  was  yet  far  off  from  his  father.  But  if,  with  a 
child's  sorrow  at  offending  so  gracious  and  loving  a  Parent, 
I  go  to  Him  and  tell  Him  all,  and  rest  not  till  I  realize  that 
I  am  forgiven,  then  I  shall  feel  a  holy  love  to  my  Father, 
and  shall  go  through  my  Christian  career,  not  only  as  saved, 
but  as  one  enjoying  present  peace  in  God  through  Jesus 
Christ  my  Lord.  There  is  a  wide  distinction  between  con- 
fessing sin  as  a  culprit^  and  confessing  sin  as  a  child.  The 
Father's  bosom  is  the  place  for  penitent  confessions.  We 
have  been  cleansed  once  for  all,  but  our  feet  still  need  to  be 
washed  from  the  defilement  of  onr  daily  walk  as  children  of 
God. 

S 


dO  EVENING    HEADINGS.  Feb.    19 

"  Eejirgtjindeth  his  own  brother  Simon."  —  John  i.  41. 

^HIS  case  is  an  excellent  pattern  of  all  cases  where 
spiritual  life  is  vigorous.  As  soon  as  a  man  has  found 
Christ,  he  begins  to  find  others.  I  will  not  believe 
that  thou  hast  tasted  of  the  honey  of  the  gospel  if  thou  canst 
eat  it  all  thyself.  True  grace  puts  an  end  to  all  spiritual 
monopoly.  Andrew ^rs^  found  his  own  brother  Simon,  and 
then  others.  Relationship  has  a  very  strong  demand  upon  out 
first  individual  efforts.  Andrew,  thou  didst  well  to  begin 
with  Simon.  I  doubt  whether  there  are  not  some  ChristiariS 
giving  away  tracts  at  other  people's  houses  who  would  do 
well  to  give  away  a  tract  at  their  own  —  whether  thnre  are 
not  some  engaged  in  works  of  usefulness  abroad,  who  are 
neglecting  their  special  sphere  of  usefulness  at  home.  Thou 
mayst  or  thou  mayst  not  be  called  to  evangelize  the  people  in 
any  particular  locality,  but  certainly  thou  art  called  to  see 
after  thine  own  servants,  thine  own  kinsfolk  and  acquaint- 
ance. Let  thy  religion  begin  at  home.  Many  tradesmen 
export  their  best  commodities ;  the  Christian  should  not. 
He  should  have  all  his  conversation  everywhere  of  the  best 
savor  ;  but  let  him  have  a  care  to  put  forth  the  sweetest  fruit 
of  spiritual  life  and  testimony  in  his  own  family.  When  An- 
drew went  to  find  his  brother,  he  little  imagined  how  emi- 
nent Simon  would  become.  Simon  Peter  was  worth  ten  An- 
drews, so  far  as  we  can  gather  from  sacred  history,  and  yet 
Andrew  was  instrumental  in  bringing  him  to  Jesus.  You 
may  be  very  deficient  in  talent  yourself,  and  yet  you  may  be 
the  means  of  drawing  to  Christ  one  who  shall  become  emi- 
nent in  grace  and  service.  Ah  !  dear  friend,  you  little  know 
the  possibilities  which  are  in  you.  You  may  but  speak  a 
word  to  a  child,  and  in  that  child  there  may  be  slumbering  a 
noble  heart  which  shall  stir  the  Christian  church  in  years  to 
come.  Andrew  has  only  two  talents,  but  he  finds  Petei.  Go 
ibou  and  do  likewise. 


Feb.  20.  EVENING    REAPINOS.  51 

"  Then  was  Jesris  led  up  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to  bt 
tenipted  of  the  devil."  —  Matthew  iv.  1. 

IKc^  HOLY  character  does  not  avert  temptation  —  Jcsua 
ll;^  was  tenipted.  When  Satan  tempts  us,  his  sparks  fall 
^^  upon  tinder  ;  but  in  Christ's  case,  it  was  like  striking 
sparks  on  water  ;  yet  the  enemy  continued  his  evil  work. 
Now  if  the  devil  goes  on  striking  when  there  is  no  result, 
how  much  more  will  he  do  it  when  he  knows  what  inflamma- 
ble stuff"  our  hearts  are  made  of!  Though  you  become 
greatly  sancti6ed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  expect  that  the  great 
dog  of  hell  will  bark  at  you  still.  In  the  haunts  of  men  we 
expect  to  be  tempted,  but  even  seclusion  will  not  guard  us 
from  the  same  trial.  Jesus  Christ  was  led  away  from  human 
society  into  the  wilderness,  and  was  lempted  of  the  devil. 
Solitude  has  its  charms  and  its  benefits,  and  may  be  useful 
in  checking  the  lust  of  the  eye  and  the  pride  of  life ;  but  the 
devil  will  follow  us  into  the  most  lovely  retreats.  Do  not 
suppose  that  it  is  only  the  worldly-minded  who  have  dread- 
ful thoughts  and  blasphemous  temptations,  for  even  spiritual- 
minded  persons  endure  the  same  ;  and  in  the  holiest  position 
we  may  sufi'er  the  darkest  temptation.  The  utmost  consecra- 
tion of  spirit  will  not  insure  you  against  Satanic  temptation. 
Christ  was  consecrated  through  and  through.  It  was  His 
meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Him ;  and 
yet  He  was  tempted !  Your  hearts  may  glow  with  a  ser£.phic 
flame  of  love  to  Jesus,  and  yet  the  devil  will  try  to  bring 
you  down  to  Laodicean  lukewarmness.  If  you  will  tell  mo 
when  God  permits  a  Christian  to  lay  aside  his  armor,  I  will 
tell  you  when  Satan  has  left  off"  temptation.  Like  the  old 
knights  in  war  time,  we  must  sleep  with  helmet  and  breaat- 
plate  buckled  on,  for  the  arch-deceiver  will  seize  our  first 
unguarded  hour  to  make  us  his  prey.  The  Lord  keep  us. 
watchful  in  all  seasons,  and  give  us  a  final  escape  fiom  im 
jaw  of  the  lion  and  the  paw  of  the  hear. 


32  EVENING    KEADING9.  Feb.  21 

"  Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest?"  —  Acts  viii.  30. 

^;E  should  be  abler  teachers  of  others,  and  less  liable  to 
fiifi  be  carried  about  by  every  wind  of  doctrine,  if  we 
~  sought  to  have  a  more  intelligent  understanding  of 
the  Word  of  God.  As  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Author  of  the 
Scriptures,  is  He  who  alone  can  enlighten  us  rightly  to  un- 
derstand them,  we  should  constantly  ask  His  teaching,  and 
His  guidance  into  all  truth.  When  the  prophet  Daniel  would 
interpret  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream,  what  did  he  do  ?  He  set 
himself  to  earnest  prayer  that  God  would  open  up  the  vision. 
The  apostle  John,  in  his  vision  at  Patmos,  saw  a  book  sealed 
with  seven  seals  which  none  was  found  worthy  to  open,  or  so 
much  as  to  look  upon.  The  book  was  afterwards  opened  by 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  who  had  prevailed  to  open  it ; 
but  it  is  written  first,  "  I  wept  much."  The  tears  of  John, 
which  were  his  liquid  prayers,  were,  so  far  as  he  was  con- 
cerned, the  sacred  keys  by  which  the  folded  book  was  opened. 
Therefore  if,  for  your  own  and  others'  profiting,  you  desire  to 
be  "  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  God's  will  in  all  wisdom  and 
spiritual  understanding,"  remember  that  prayer  is  your  best 
means  of  study  :  like  Daniel,  you  shall  understand  the  dream, 
and  the  interpretation  thereof,  when  you  have  sought  unto 
God  ;  and  like  John,  you  shall  see  the  seven  seals  of  precious 
truth  unloosed,  after  you  have  wept  much.  Stones  are  not 
broken,  except  by  an  earnest  use  of  the  hammer ;  and  the 
stone-breaker  mtast  go  down  on  his  knees.  Use  the  hammer 
of  diligence,  and  let  the  knee  of  prayer  be  exercised,  and  there 
is  not  a  stony  doctrine  in  Revelation  which  is  useful  for  you  to 
understand,  which  will  not  fly  into  shivers  under  the  exercise  of 
prayer  and  faith.  You  may  force  your  way  through  anything 
with  the  leverage  of  prayer.  Thoughts  and  reasonings  are  like 
the  steel  wedges  which  give  a  hold  upon  truth  ;  but  prayer  ia 
the  lever,  the  prise  which  forces  open  the  iron  chest  of  sacred 
mystery,  that  we  may  get  the  treasure  hidden  within. 


Feb   22.  EVENING  readings.  5S 

"  TTie  Lord  is  alow  to  anger,  and  great  in  power.'*  —  Nahum  i.  3. 

©1 


JEHOVAH  "  is  sJoiu  to  anger"  "When  merry  cometh 
>!  into  the  world  she  driveth  winged  steeds;  the  axles 
'-'''  of  her  chariot-wheels  are  red  hot  with  speed;  but 
when  wrath  goeth  forth,  it  toilcth  on  with  tardy  footsteps, 
for  God  taketh  no  pleasure  in  the  sinner's  death.  God's  rod 
of  mercy  is  ever  in  Ilis  hands  outstretched  ;  His  sword  of 
justice  in  its  scabbard,  held  down  by  that  pierced  hand  of 
love  which  bled  for  the  sins  of  men.  "  The  Lord  is  slow  to 
anger,"  because  He  is  gbeat  in  power.  He  is  truly  great 
in  power  who  hath  power  over  himself.  When  God's  power 
doth  restrain  Himself,  then  it  is  power  indeed :  the  power 
that  binds  omnipotence  is  omnipotence  surpassed.  A  man 
who  has  a  strong  mind  can  bear  to  be  insulted  long,  and  only 
resents  the  wrong  when  a  sense  of  right  demands  his  action. 
The  weak  mind  is  Iiritated  at  a  little ;  the  strong  mind  bears 
it  like  a  rock  which  moveth  not,  though  a  thousand  breakers 
dash  upon  it,  and  cast  their  pitiful  malice  in  spray  upon  its 
summit,  God  marketh  his  enemies,  and  yet  He  bestirs  not 
Himself,  but  holdeth  in  His  anger.  If  He  were  less  divine 
than  He  is,  He  would  long  ere  this  have  sent  forth  the  whole 
of  His  thunders,  and  emptied  the  magazines  of  heaven  ;  He 
would  long  ere  this  have  blasted  the  earth  with  the  wondrous 
fires  of  its  lower  regions,  and  man  would  have  been  utterly 
destroyed  ;  but  the  greatness  of  His  power  brings  us  mercy. 
Dear  reader,  what  is  your  state  this  evening  ?  Can  you  by 
humble  faith  look  to*  Jesus  and  say,  "  My  substitute,  Thou 
art  my  rock,  my  trust "  ?  Then,  beloved,  be  not  afraid  of 
God's  power ;  for  now  that  you  are  forgiven  and  accepted, 
now  that  by  faith  you  have  fled  to  Christ  for  refuge,  the 
power  of  God  need  no  more  terrify  you,  than  the  shield  and 
Bword  of  the  warrior  need  terrify  those  whom  he  kves. 
Rather  rejoice  that  He  who  is  "great  in  power"  is  youi 
Father  and  Friend. 


54  EVENING    READINGS.  Fcb.  23 

"  Take  up  the  cross,  and  follow  Me."  —  Mark  x.  21. 


w 


-'^OU  have  not  the  making  of  your  own  cross,  although 
unbelief  is  a  master-carpenter  at  cross-making  ;  nei- 
►  °  ther  are  you  permitted  to  choose  your  own  cross, 
although  self-will  would  fain  be  lord  and  master ;  but 
your  cross  is  prepared  and  appointed  for  you  by  divine  love, 
and  you  are  cheerfully  to  accept  it ;  you  are  to  take  up  the 
cross  as  your  chosen  badge  and  burden,  and  not  to  stand 
cavilling  at  it.  This  night  Jesus  bids  you  submit  your 
shoulder  to  His  easy  yoke.  Do  not  kick  at  it  in  petulance,, 
or  trample  on  it  in  vain-glory,  or  fall  under  it  in  despair,  or 
run  away  from  it  in  fear,  but  take  it  up  like  a  true  follower 
of  Jesus.  Jesus  was  a  cross-bearer ;  He  leads  the  way  iu 
the  path  of  sorrow.  Surely  you  could  not  desire  a  better 
guide  !  And  if  He  carries  a  cross,  what  nobler  burden  would 
you  desire  ?  The  Via  Grucis  is  the  way  of  safety ;  fear  not 
to  tread  its  thorny  paths. 

Beloved,  the  cross  is  not  made  of  feathers,  or  lined  with 
velvet ;  it  is  heavy  and  galling  to  disobedient  shoulders  ;  but 
it  is  not  an  iron  cross,  though  your  fears  have  painted  it  with 
iron  colors ;  it  is  a  wooden  cross,  and  a  man  can  carry  it, 
for  the  Man  of  Sorrows  tried  the  load.  Take  up  jour  cross, 
and  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God  you  will  soon  be  so 
in  love  with  it,  that,  like  Moses,  you  would  not  exchange  the 
reproach  of  Christ  for  all  the  treasures  of  Egypt.  Remem- 
ber that  Jesus  carried  it,  and  it  will  smell  sweetly ;  remem- 
ber that  it  will  soon  be  followed  by  the  crown,  and  the 
thought  of  the  coming  weight  of  glory  will  greatly  lighten 
the  present  heaviness  of  trouble.  The  Lord  help  you  to 
bow  your  spirit  in  submission  to  the  divine  will  ere  you 
fall  asleep  this  night,  that  waking  with  to-morrow's  sun, 
you  may  go  forth  to  the  day's  cross  with  the  hdly  and 
Bubmissive  spirit  which  becomes  a  follower  of  the  Cruci 
fied. 


Feb.   24.  EVENING    READINGS.  55 

"  O  Lord  of  hosts,  how  long  wilt  thou  not  have  mercy  upon  JerU' 
saleni'i  .  .  .  And  the  Lord  answered  the  angel  .  .  .  with  good 
words  and  comfortable  words."  —  Zechariah  i.  12,  13. 

^HAT  a  sweet  answer  to  an  anxious  inquiry!  Tliis 
'mi  ni/^^ht  let  us  rejoice  in  it.  0  Zion,  there  are  gooiJ 
things  in  store  for  thee  ;  thy  time  of  travail  shall  soon 
be  over ;  thy  children  shall  be  brought  forth ;  thy  captivity 
shall  end.  Bear  patiently  the  rod  for  a  season,  and  under  the 
darkness  still  trust  in  God,  for  His  love  burneth  towards  thee. 
God  loves  the  church  with  a  love  too  deep  for  human  imagi- 
nation :  He  loves  her  with  all  His  infinite  heart.  Therefore 
let  her  sons  be  of  good  courage  ;  she  cannot  be  far  from  pros- 
perity to  whom  God  speaketh  "  good  words  and  comfortable 
words."  What  these  comfortable  words  are  the  prophet  goes 
on  to  tell  us  :  "I  am  jealous  for  Jerusalem  and  for  Zion  with 
a  great  jealousy."  The  Lord  loves  His  church  so  much  that 
He  cannot  bear  that  she  should  go  astray  to  others  ;  and  when 
she  has  done  so.  He  cannot  endure  that  she  should  suflfer  too 
much  or  too  heavily.  He  will  not  have  his  enemies  afflict  hei  • 
He  is  displeased  with  them  because  they  increase  her  misery 
When  God  seems  most  to  leave  His  church.  His  heart  is  warm 
towards  her.  History  shows  us  that  whenever  God  uses  a  rod 
to  chasten  His  servants.  He  always  breaks  it  afterwards,  as  if 
He  loathed  the  rod  which  gave  His  children  pain.  He  feels 
the  smart  far  more  than  His  people.  "  Like  as  a  father  piti- 
eth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear  him."  God 
bath  not  forgotten  us  because  He  smites  —  His  blows  are  no 
evidences  of  want  of  love.  If  this  is  true  of  His  church  col- 
lectively, it  is  of  necessity  true  also  of  each  individual  mem' 
her.  You  may  fear  that  the  Lord  has  passed  you  by,  but  it  is 
not  so :  He  who  counts  the  stars,  and  calls  them  by  their 
names,  is  in  no  danger  of  forgetting  His  own  children.  He 
knows  your  case  as  thoroughly  as  if  you  were  the  only  crea- 
ture He  ever  made,  or  the  only  saint  He  ever  loved.  Ap- 
proach Him  and  be  at  peace. 


56  EVENING    READINGS.  Feb.  2.') 

"  BtU  Jonah  rose  up  to  flee  unto  Tarshish  from  the  presence  of  thi 
Lord,  and  went  dovm  to  Joppa."  —  Jonah  i.  3. 

^^^NSTEAD  of  going  to  Nineveh  to  preach  the  word,  as 
^^1^  God  bade  him,  Jonah  disliked  the  work,  and  went 
y/^te3<  (Jq^q  jq  Joppa  to  escape  from  it.  There  are  occa- 
sions when  God's  servants  shrink  from  duty.  But  what  is  the 
consequence?  What  did  Jonah  lose  by  his  conduct?  He 
lost  the  presence  and  comfortable  enjoyment  of  God^s  love. 
When  we  serve  our  Lord  Jesus  as  believers  should  do,  our 
God  is  with  us  ;  and  though  we  have  the  whole  world  against 
us,  if  we  have  God  with  us,  what  does  it  matter  ?  But  the 
moment  we  start  back,  and  seek  our  own  inventions,  we  are 
at  sea  without  a  pilot.  Then  may  we  bitterly  lament  and 
groan  out,  "  0  my  God,  where  hast  Thou  gone  ?  How  could 
I  have  been  so  foolish  as  to  shun  Thy  service,  and  in  this 
way  to  lose  all  the  bright  shinings  of  Thy  face  ?  This  is  a 
price  too  high.  Let  me  retifrn  to  my  allegiance,  that  I  may 
rejoice  in  Thy  presence."  In  the  next  place,  Jonah  lost  all 
peace  of  mind.  Sin  soon  destroys  a  believer's  comfort.  It 
is  the  poisonous  upas  tree,  from  whose  leaves  distil  deadly 
drops  which  destroy  the  life  of  joy  and  peace.  Jonah  lost 
everything  upon  which  he  might  have  drawn  for  comfort  in  any 
other  case.  He  could  not  plead  the  promise  of  divine  pro- 
tection, for  he  was  not  in  God's  ways;  he  could  not  say, 
"  Lord,  I  meet  with  these  difficulties  in  the  discharge  of  my 
duty,  therefore  help  me  through  them."  He  was  reaping  his 
own  deeds ;  he  was  filled  with  his  own  ways.  Christian,  do 
not  play  the  Jonah,  unless  you  wish  to  have  all  the  waves 
and  the  billows  rolling  over  your  head.  You  will  find  in  the 
long  run  that  it  is  far  harder  to  shun  the  work  and  will  of 
God  than  to  at  once  yield  yourself  to  it.  Jonah  lost  his  time, 
for  he  had  to  go  to  Tarshish  after  all.  It  is  hard  to  contend 
with  God  ;  let  us  yield  ourselves  at  once. 


Feb.  26.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  57 


••  Behold,   if  the  leprosy  have  covered  all  his  fliih,  he  shall  pro- 
nounce  him  clean  that  hath  the  plague."  —  Lev.  xiii.  13. 

^^i^tSTRANGE  enough  this  regulation  appears,  yet  there 
^NX-^  was  wisdom  in  it,  for  the  throwing  out  of  the  disease 
^^^^  proved  that  the  constitution  was  sound.  This  even- 
ing it  may  be  well  for  us  to  see  the  typical  teaching  of  so  sin- 
gular a  rule.  We,  too,  are  lepers,  and  may  read  the  law  of 
the  leper  as  applicable  to  ourselves.  When  a  man  sees  him- 
self to  be  altogether  lost  and  ruined,  covered  all  over  with 
the  defilement  of  sin,  and  in  no  part  free  from  pollution ; 
when  he  disclaims  all  righteousness  of  his  own,  and  pleads 
guilty  before  the  Lord,  then  is  he  clean  through  the  blood  of 
Jesus,  and  the  grace  of  God.  Hidden,  unfelt,  unconfessed 
iniquity  is  the  true  leprosy ;  but  when  sin  is  seen  and  felt,  it 
has  received  its  death  blow,  and  the  Lord  looks  with  eyes  of 
mercy  upon  the  soul  afflicted  with  it.  Nothing  is  more  deadly 
than  self-righteousness,  or  more  hopeful  than  contrition.  We 
must  confess  that  we  are  "  nothing  else  but  sin,"  for  no  con- 
fession short  of  this  will  be  the  whole  truth  ;  and  if  the  Holy 
Spirit  be  at  work  with  us,  convincing  us  of  sin,  there  will  be 
uo  difficulty  about  making  such  an  acknowledgment  —  it  will 
spring  spontaneously  from  our  lips.  What  comfort  does  the 
text  afford  to  truly  awakened  sinners  :  the  very  circumstance 
which  so  grievously  discouraged  them  is  here  turned  into  a 
sign  and  symptom  of  a  hopeful  state  !  Stripping  comes  be- 
fore clothing  ;  digging  out  the  foundation  is  the  first  thing  in 
building  —  and  a  thorough  sense  of  sin  is  one  of  the  earliest 
works  of  grace  in  the  heart.  Oh,  thou  poor  leprous  sinner, 
Qtterly  destitute  of  a  sound  spot,  take  heart  from  the  text, 
ftod  come  as  thou  art  to  Jesus  — 


"  For  let  our  debts  be  wbat  they  may,  however  great  or  amnll, 
As  ioon  as  we  have  noufjht  to  pay,  our  Lord  forsjives  us  all. 
'Tis  perfect  poverty  alone  that  sots  the  soul  at  large: 
Wtiile  we  can  call  cue  mite  our  own,  we  have  no  lull  discharg*.'^ 


58  ETENING    HEADINGS.  Feb.  27, 


*^  Whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting." 
Micah  V.  2. 

^HE  Lord  Jesua  had  goings  forth  for  His  people,  oi 

IN 


their  representative  hefore  the  throne,  long  before  they 
appeared  upon  the  stage  of  time.  It  was  "  from  ever- 
lasting "  that  He  signed  the  compact  with  His  Father,  that 
He  would  pay  blood  for  blood,  suffering  for  suffering,  agony 
for  agony,  and  death  for  death,  in  the  behalf  of  His  people  ; 
it  was  "  from  everlasting  "  that  He  gave  Himself  up,  without 
a  murmuring  word,  that  from  the  crown  of  His  head  to  the 
sole  of  His  foot  He  might  sweat  great  drops  of  blood,  that 
He  might  be  spit  upon,  pierced,  mocked,  rent  asunder,  and 
crushed  beneath  the  pains  of  death.  His  goings  forth  as  our 
Surety  were  from  everlasting.  Pause,  my  soul,  and  wonder  ! 
Thou  hadst  goings  forth  in  the  person  of  Jesus  "  from  ever- 
lasting." Not  only  when  thou  wast  born  into  the  world  did 
Christ  love  thee,  but  His  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men 
before  there  were  any  sons  of  men.  Often  did  He  think  of 
them ;  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  He  had  set  His  affec- 
tion upon  them.  What !  my  soul,  has  He  been  so  long  about 
thy  salvation,  and  will  not  He  accomplish  it  ?  Has  He  from 
everlasting  been  going  forth  to  save  me,  and  will  He  lose  me 
now  ?  What !  has  He  carried  me  in  His  hand,  as  His  pre- 
cious jewel,  and  will  He  now  let  me  slip  from  between  His 
fingers  ?  Did  He  choose  me  before  the  mountains  were 
brought  forth,  or  the  channels  of  the  deep  were  digged,  and 
will  he  reject  me  now?  Impossible  !  I  am  sure  He  would 
not  have  loved  me  so  long  if  He  had  not  been  a  changeless 
Lover.  If  He  could  grow  weary  of  me,  He  would  have  been 
iired  of  me  long  before  now.  If  He  had  not  loved  me  with 
a  love  as  deep  as  hell,  and  as  strong  as  death.  He  would  have 
turned  from  me  long  ago.  Oh,  joy  above  all  joys,  to  know 
that  I  am  His  everlasting  and  inalienable  inheritance,  given 
to  Him  by  His  Father  or  ever  the  earth  was !  Everlasiing 
love  shall  be  the  pillow  for  my  head  this  night. 


Feb.  28.  EVENING    nEADINGS.  5» 

*  The  barrel  of  meal  wasted  not,  neither  did  the  cruse  of  oil  fail, 
accyrding  to  the  wora  of  the  Lord,  which  lie  spake  by  Elijah" 
—  1  Kings  xvii.  16. 

^^^1^EE  the  faithfulness  of  divine  love.  You  observe  that 
LS^3)  this  woman  had  daily  necessities.  She  had  herself 
'***^^^  and  her  son  to  feed  in  a  time  of  famine ;  and  now, 
in  addition,  the  prophet  Elijah  was  to  be  fed  too.  But 
though  the  need  was  threefold,  yet  the  supply  of  meal  wasted 
not,  fur  she  had  a  constant  supply.  Each  day  she  made  calls 
upon  the  barrel,  but  yet  each  day  it  remained  the  same.  You, 
dear  reader,  have  daily  necessities,  and  because  they  come 
80  frequently,  you  are  apt  to  fear  that  the  barrel  of  meal  will 
one  day  be  empty,  and  the  cruse  of  oil  will  fail  you.  Rest 
assured  that,  according  to  the  Word  of  God,  this  shall  not 
be  the  case.  Each  day,  though  it  bring  its  trouble,  shall 
bring  its  help  ;  and  though  you  should  live  to  outnumber  the 
years  of  Methuselah,  and  though  your  needs  should  be  as 
many  as  the  sands  of  the  sea-shore,  yet  shall  God's  grace  and 
mercy  lust  through  all  your  necessities,  and  you  shall  nevei 
know  a  real  lack.  For  three  long  years,  in  this  widow's  days, 
the  heavens  never  saw  a  cloud,  and  the  stars  never  wept  a 
holy  tear  of  dew  upon  the  wicked  earth  :  famine,  and  deso- 
lation, and  death  made  the  land  a  howling  wilderness,  but  this 
woman  never  was  hungry,  but  always  joyful  in  abundance. 
So  shall  it  be  with  you.  You  shall  see  the  sinner's  hope  per- 
ish, for  he  trusts  his  native  strength  ;  you  shall  see  the  proud 
Pharisee's  confidence  totter,  for  he  builds  his  hope  upon  the 
sand  ;  you  shall  see  even  your  own  schemes  blasted  and  with- 
ered, but  you  yourself  shall  find  that  your  place  of  defence 
shall  be  the  munition  of  rocks.  "  Your  bread  shall  be  given 
you,  and  your  water  shall  be  sure."  Better  have  God  for 
your  guardian,  than  the  Bank  of  England  for  your  posses- 
sion. You  might  spend  the  wealth  of  the  Indies,  but  th« 
infinite  riches  of  God  you  can  never  exhaust. 


60  EVENING    READINGS.         ^  Feb.  29. 

"  Now  we  have  received  .  .  ,  the  Spirit  which  is  of  Ood ;  that  wt 
might  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  Ood." 
—  1  Corinthians  ii.  12. 


n 


^EAR.  reader,  have  you  received  the  spirit  which  is  of 
God,  wrought  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  your  soul  ?  The 
necessity  of  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  heart 
may  be  clearly  seen  from  this  fact,  that  all  which  has  been 
done  by  God  the  Father,  and  by  God  the  Son,  must  be  inef- 
fectual to  us,  unless  the  Spirit  shall  reveal  these  things  to  our 
sauls.  What  effect  does  the  doctrine  of  election  have  upon 
any  man  until  the  Spirit  of  God  enters  into  him  ?  Election 
is  a  dead  letter  in  my  consciDusness  until  the  Spirit  of  God 
calls  me  out  of  darkness  into  marvellous  light.  Then,  through 
my  calling,  I  see  my  election,  and  knowing  myself  to  be  called 
of  God,  I  know  myself  to  have  been  chosen  in  the  eternal 
purpose.  A  covenant  was  made  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  His  Father ;  but  what  avails  that  covenant  to  us  until  the 
Holy  Spirit  brings  us  its  blessings,  and  opens  our  hearts  to 
receive  them  ?  There  hang  the  blessings  on  the  nail  —  Christ 
Jesus ;  but  being  short  of  stature,  we  cannot  reach  them  ; 
the  Spirit  of  God  takes  them  down  and  hands  them  to  us,  and 
thus  they  become  actually  ours.  Covenant  blessings  in  them- 
selves are  like  the  manna  in  the  skies,  far  out  of  mortal  reach, 
but  the  Spirit  of  God  opens  the  windows  of  heaven,  and  scat- 
ters the  living  bread  around  the  camp  of  the  spiritual  Israel. 
Christ's  finished  work  is  like  wine  stored  in  the  wine-vat ; 
through  unbelief  we  can  neither  draw  nor  drink.  The  Holy 
Spirit  dips  our  vessel  into  this  precious  wine,  and  then  we 
drink ;  but  without  the  Spirit  we  are  as  truly  dead  in  sin  as 
though  the  Father  never  had  elected,  and  though  the  Son  had 
never  bought  us  with  His  blood.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  abso- 
lutely necessaiy  to  our  well-being.  Let  us  walk  lovinglj 
towards  Him,  and  tremble  at  the  thought  of  grieving  Him. 


March  1.  evening  readings.  61 

•*  Hi  is  precious."  —  1  Peter  ii.  7. 


H'^  in 


If'^S  all  the  rivers  run  into  the  sea,  so  all  delights  centre 
our  Beloved.  The  glances  of  His  eyes  outshine 
le  sun  :  the  beauties  of  His  face  are  fairer  than  the 
choicest  flowers  :  no  fragrance  is  like  the  breath  of  His 
mouth.  Gems  of  the  mine,  and  pearls  from  the  sea,  are 
\Torthless  things  when  measured  by  His  preciousness.  Peter 
tells  us  that  Jesus  is  precious,  but  he  did  not  and  could  not 
tell  us  hew  precious,  nor  could  any  of  us  compute  the  value 
of  God's  unspeakable  gift.  "Words  cannot  set  forth  the 
preciousness  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  His  people,  nor  fully  tell 
how  essential  He  is  to  their  satisfaction  and  happiness.  Be- 
liever, have  you  not  found  in  the  midst  of  plenty  a  sore  fam- 
ine if  your  Lord  has  been  absent  ?  The  sun  was  shining, 
but  Christ  had  hidden  Himself,  and  all  the  world  was  black 
to  you  ;  or  it  was  night,  and  since  the  bright  and  morning 
star  was  gone,  no  other  star  could  yield  you  so  much  as  a 
ray  of  light.  What  a  howling  wilderness  is  this  world  with- 
out our  Lord  !  If  once  He  hideth  Himself  from  us,  with- 
ered are  the  flowers  of  our  garden  ;  our  pleasant  fruits  decay  ; 
the  birds  suspend  their  songs,  and  a  tempest  overturns  our 
hopes.  All  earth's  candles  cannot  make  daylight  if  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness  be  eclipsed.  He  is  the  soul  of  our  soul, 
the  light  of  our  light,  the  life  of  our  life.  Dear  reader, 
what  wouldst  thou  do  in  the  world  without  Him,  in  the  midst 
of  its  temptations  and  its  cares  ?  What  wouldst  thou  do  in 
the  morning  without  Him,  when  thou  wakest  up  and  lookest 
forward  to  the  day's  battle  ?  What  wouldst  thou  do  at  night, 
when  thou  comest  home  jaded  and  weary,  if  there  w^ere  no 
door  of  fellowship  between  thee  and  Christ  ?  Blessed  be 
Hi  J  name.  He  will  not  suffer  us  to  try  our  lot  without  Him, 
for  Jesus  never  forsakes  His  own.  Yet,  let  the  thought  of 
what  life  toould  be  without  Him,  enhance  His  preciousnesa. 
6 


62  EVENiKG  READINGS.  March  2. 

"  Unto  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace 
given,  that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ."  —  Ephesians  iii.  8. 

SHE  apostle  Paul  felt  it  a  great  privilege  to  be  allowed 
to  preach  the  gospel.  He  did  not  look  upon  his 
calling  as  a  drudgery,  but  he  entered  upon  it  with 
intense  delight.  Yet  while  Paul  was  thus  thankful  for  hia 
office,  his  success  in  it  greatly  humbled  him.  The  fuller  a 
vessel  becomes,  the  deeper  it  sinks  in  the  water.  Idlers  may 
indulge  a  fond  conceit  of  their  abilities,  because  they  are 
untried  ;  but  the  earnest  worker  soon  learns  his  own  weak- 
ness. If  you  seek  humility,  try  hard  work ;  if  you  would 
know  your  nothingness,  attempt  some  great  thing  for  Jesus. 
If  you  would  feel  how  utterly  powerless  you  are  apart  from 
the  living  God,  attempt  especially  the  great  work  of  pro- 
claiming the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  and  you  will 
know,  as  you  never  knew  before,  what  a  weak,  unworthy 
thing  you  are.  Although  the  apostle  thus  knew  and  con- 
fessed his  weakness,  he  was  never  perplexed  as  to  the  sub- 
ject of  his  ministry.  From  his  first  sermon  to  his  last,  Paul 
preached  Christ,  and  nothing  but  Christ.  He  lifted  up  the 
cross,  and  extolled  the  Son  of  God  who  bled  thereon.  Fol- 
low his  example  in  all  your  personal  eflforts  to  spread  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation,  and  let  "  Christ  and  Him  crucified  " 
be  your  ever  recurring  theme.  The  Christian  should  be  like 
those  lovely  spring  flowers  which,  when  the  sun  is  shining, 
open  their  golden  cups,  as  if  saying,  "  Fill  us  with  thy 
beams  !"  but  when  the  sun  is  hidden  behind  a  cloud,  they 
close  their  cups  and  droop  their  heads.  So  should  the 
Christian  feel  the  sweet  influence  of  Jesus  ;  Jesus  must  be 
his  sun,  and  he  must  be  the  flower  which  yields  itself  to  the 
Sun  cf  Righteousness.  Oh  !  to  speak  of  Christ  alone,  this 
is  the  subject  which  is  both  "  seed  for  the  sower,  and  bread 
for  the  eater."  This  is  the  live  coal  for  the  lip  of  the 
Bpeakcr,  and  the  master-key  te  the  heart  of  the  hearer. 


March  3.  evening  readings.  68 


"  lie  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending  like  a  dove." 
Matthew  iii.  16. 

^*||'?S  the  Spirit  of  God  descended  upon  the  Lord  Jesus, 
^Jl  v^  the  head,  so  He  also,  in  measure,  descends  upon  the 
'^^^^^  members  of  the  mystical  body.  His  descent  is  to 
U£  after  the  same  fashion  as  that  in  which  it  fell  upon  our 
Lord.  There  is  often  a  singular  rapidity  about  it ;  or  ever 
we  are  aware,  we  are  impelled  onward  and  heavenward  be- 
yond all  expectation.  Yet  is  there  none  of  the  hurry  of 
earthly  haste,  for  the  wings  of  the  dove  are  as  soft  as  they 
are  swift.  Quietness  seems  essential  to  many  spiritual  oper- 
ations ;  the  Lord  is  in  the  still  small  voice,  and  like  the 
dew,  His  grace  is  distilled  in  silence.  The  dove  has  ever 
been  the  chosen  type  of  purity,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  holi- 
ness itself.  Where  He  cometh,  everything  that  m  pure  and 
lovely,  and  of  good  report,  is  made  to  abound,  and  sin  and 
uncleanuess  depart.  Peace  reigns  also  where  the  Holy  Dove 
comes  with  power  ;  He  bears  the  olive  branch  which  shows 
that  the  waters  of  divine  wrath  are  assuaged.  Gentleness  is 
a  sure  result  of  the  Sacred  Dove's  transforming  power  : 
hearts  touched  by  His  benign  influence  are  meek  and  lowly 
henceforth  and  forever.  Harmlessness  follows,  as  a  matter 
of  course  ;  eagles  and  ravens  may  hunt  their  prey  —  the 
turtle-dove  can  endure  wrong,  but  cannot  inflict  it.  We  must 
be  harmless  as  doves.  The  dove  is  an  apt  picture  of  love, 
the  voice  of  the  turtle  is  full  of  aflfection  ;  and  so,  the  soul 
visited  by  the  blessed  Spirit  abounds  in  love  to  God,  in 
love  to  the  brethren,  and  in  love  to  sinners  ;  and,  above  all, 
in  love  to  Jesus.  The  brooding  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon 
the  face  of  the  deep,  first  produced  order  and  life,  and  in 
our  hearts  He  causes  and  fosters  new  life  and  light. 
Blessed  Spirit,  as  Thou  didst  rest  upon  our  dear  Redeemer, 
even  so  rest  thou  upon  us  from  this  time  forward  and  for* 
Bver. 


64  EVENING  READINGS.  March  4 

"  They  shaU  be  abundantly  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of  TJiy  house/ 
Psalm  xxxvi.  8. 

(lUEBA'S  (^ueen  was  amazed  at  the  sumptuousuesf?  of 
'^■il  Solomon's  table.  She  lost  all  heart  when  she  saw 
the  provision  of  a  single  day  ;  and  she  raarvelk  J 
equally'  at  the  corvpany  of  servants  who  were  feasted  at  the 
royal  board.  But  what  is  this  to  the  hospitalities  of  the  God 
of  grace  }  Ten  thousand  thousand  of  his  people  are  daily 
fed  ;  hungry  and  thirsty,  they  bring  large  appetites  with 
them  to  the  banquet,  but  not  one  of  them  returns  unsatisfied  ; 
there  is  enough  for  each,  enough  for  all,  enough  for  ever- 
more. Though  the  host  that  feed  at  Jehovah's  table  is 
countless  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  yet  each  one  has  his  por- 
tion of  meat.  Think  how  much  grace  one  saint  requires;  so 
much  that  jiothing  but  the  Infinite  could  supply  him  for  one 
day  ;  and  yet  the  Lord  spreads  His  table,  not  for  one,  but 
many  saints  ;  not  for  one  day,  but  for  many  years  ;  not  for 
many  years  only,  but  for  generation  after  generation.  Ob- 
serve the  full  feasting  spoken  of  in  the  text ;  the  guests  at 
mercy's  banquet  are  satisfied,  nay,  more  "  abundantly  satis- 
fied ; "  and  that  not  with  ordinary  fare,  but  with  fatness,  the 
peculiar  fatness  of  God's  own  house  ;  and  such  feasting  is 
guaranteed  by  a  faithful  promise  to  all  those  children  of  men 
who  put  their  trust  under  the  shadow  of  Jehovah's  wings. 
I  once  thought  if  I  might  but  get  the  broken  meat  at  God's 
back  door  of  grace  I  should  be  satisfied ;  like  the  woman 
who  aaid,  "  The  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  the 
master's  table  ; "  but  no  child  of  God  is  ever  served  with 
scraps  and  leavings  ;  like  Mephibosheth,  they  all  eat  from 
the  king's  own  table.  In  matters  of  grace,  we  all  have  Ben- 
jamin's mess  —  we  all  have  ten  times  more  than  we  could 
have  expected  ;  and  though  our  necessities  are  great,  yet  are 
we  often  amazed  at  the  marvellous  plenty  of  grace  which 
God  gives  us  experimentally  to  enjoy. 


March  5.  etenino  headings.  6i 

*'  Say  unto  my  sotil,  I  am  thy  salvation."  —  Psalm  xxxv.  3. 

J^HAT  does  this  sweet  prayer  teach  me  ?  It  shall  be 
my  evening's  petition  ;  but  first  let  it  yield  mc  an 

*^  instructive  meditation.  The  text  informii  mc  first  of 
all  that  David  had  his  doubts  ;  for  why  should  he  pray,  "  8ay 
unto  My  soul,  I  am  thy  salvation,"  if  he  were  not  sometinieg 
exercised  with  doubts  and  fears  ?  Let  me,  then,  be  of  good 
cheer,  for  I  am  not  the  only  saint  who  has  to  complain  of 
weakness  of  faith.  If  David  doubted,  I  need  not  conclude 
that  /  am  no  Christian,  because  I  have  doubts.  The  text 
reminds  me  that  David  was  not  content  while  he  had  donhts 
and  fears,  but  he  repaired  at  once  to  the  mercy-seat  to  pray 
for  assurance  ;  for  he  valued  it  as  much  fine  gold.  I,  too, 
must  labor  after  an  abiding  sense  of  my  acceptance  in  the 
Beloved,  and  must  have  no  joy  when  His  love  is  not  shed 
ibroad  in  my  soul.  When  my  Bridegroom  is  gone  from  me, 
my  soul  must  and  will  fast.  I  learn  also  that  David  knew 
where  to  obtain  full  assurance.  He  went  to  his  God  in 
prayer,  crying,  "  Say  unto  my  soul,  I  am  thy  salvation."  I 
must  be  much  alone  with  God  if  I  would  have  a  clear  sense 
of  Jesus's  love.  Let  my  prayers  cease,  and  my  eye  of  faith 
will  grow  dim.  Much  in  prayer,  much  in  heaven  ;  slow  in 
prayer,  slow  in  progress.  I  notice  that  David  would  not  be 
satisfied  unless  his  assurance  had  a  divine  source.  "  Sat/  unto 
my  soul."  Lord,  do  Thou  say  it !  Nothing  short  of  a  di- 
vine testimony  in  the  soul  will  ever  content  the  true  Chris- 
tian. Moreover,  David  could  not  rest  unless  his  assurance 
had  a  vivid  personality  about  it.  "  Say  unto  my  soul,  I  am 
thy  salvation."  Lord,  if  Thou  shouldst  say  this  to  all  the 
saints,  it  were  nothing,  unless  Thou  shouldst  say  it  to  mc. 
Lord,  I  have  sinned  ;  I  deserve  not  Thy  smile  ;  I  scarcely 
dare  to  ask  it ;  but  oh  !  say  to  my  soul,  even  to  my  soul,  "  I  am 
thy  salvation."  Let  mc  have  a  present,  personal,  infallible, 
indisputable  sense  that  I  am  Thine,  and  that  Thou  art  mine. 
6* 


66  EVENING  HEADINGS.  March  6 

"  Before  destruction  the  heart  of  man  is  haughty" 
Proverbs  xviii.  12. 

jf^T  is  an  old  and  common  saying,  that  "  coming  events 
heVj  cast  their  shadows  before  them;"  the  wise  man 
teaches  us  that  a  haughty  heart  is  the  propheti*; 
prelude  of  evil.  Pride  is  as  safely  the  sign  of  destruction, 
as  the  change  of  mercury  in  the  weather-glass  is  the  sign 
of  rain  ;  and  far  more  infallibly  so  than  that.  When  men 
have  ridden  the  high  horse,  destruction  has  always  overtaken 
them.  Let  David's  aching  heart  show  that  there  is  an  eclipse 
of  a  man's  glory  when  he  dotes  upon  his  own  grfiatness. 
2  Sara.  xxiv.  10.  See  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  mighty  builder 
of  Babylon,  creeping  on  the  earth,  devouring  grass  lik.i  oxen, 
until  his  nails  had  grown  like  birds'  claws,  and  his  hair  like 
eagles'  feathers.  Dan.  iv.  33.  Pride  made  the  boaster  a 
beast,  as  once  before  it  made  an  angel  a  devil.  Grod  hates 
high  looks,  and  never  fails  to  bring  them  down.  All  the 
arrows  of  God  are  aimed  at  proud  hearts.  0  Christian,  is 
thine  heart  haughty  this  evening  ?  For  pride  can  get  into 
the  Christian's  heart  as  well  as  into  the  sinner's  ;  it  can  de- 
lude him  into  dreaming  that  he  is  "rich  and  increased  in 
goods,  and  hath  need  of  nothing."  Art  thou  glorying  in 
thy  graces  or  thy  talents  ?  Art  thou  proud  of  thyself,  that 
thou  hast  had  holy  frames  and  sweet  experiences  ?  Mark 
thee,  reader :  there  is  a  destruction  coming  to  thee  also. 
Thy  flaunting  poppies  of  self-conceit  will  be  pulled  up  by 
ihe  roots,  thy  mushroom  graces  will  wither  in  the  burning 
heat,  and  thy  self-sufficiency  shall  become  as  straw  for  the 
dunghill.  If  we  forget  to  live  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  in 
deepest  lowliness  of  spirit,  God  will  not  forget  to  make  us 
smart  under  His  rod.  A  destruction  will  come  to  thee,  0 
unduly  exalted  believer,  the  destruction  of  thy  joys  and  of 
thy  comforts,  though  there  can  be  no  destruction  of  thy  soul 
Wherefore,  ■'  He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  m  the  Lord." 


March  7.  evening  beadings.  67 

*  It  is  better  to  trust  in  the  Lord,  than  to  put  confidence  in  man.' 
Psalm  cxviii.  8. 


IC? 


giOUBTLESS  the  reader  has  been  tried  with  the  temp- 
p'  tation  to  rely  upon  things  which  are  seen,  instead  of 

'^  resting  alone  upon  the  invisible  God.  Christiana 
often  look  to  man  for  help  and  counsel,  and  mar  the  noble 
simplicity  of  their  reliance  upon  their  God.  Does  this  even- 
ing's portion  meet  the  eye  of  a  child  of  God  anxious  about 
temporals,  then  would  we  reason  with  him  a  while.  You  trust 
in  Jesus,  and  only  in  Jesus,  for  your  salvation  ;  then  why  are 
you  troubled  ?  "  Because  of  my  great  care."  Is  it  not  writ- 
ten, "  Cast  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord"  ?  "  Be  careful  for 
nothing,  but  in  everything  by  prayer  and  supplication  make 
known  your  wants  unto  God."  Cannot  you  trust  God  for 
temporals  ?  "  Ah  I  I  wish  I  could."  If  you  cannot  trust 
God  for  temporals,  how  dare  you  trust  Him  for  spirituals  r 
Can  you  trust  Him  for  your  soul's  redemption,  and  not  rely 
upon  Him  for  a  few  lesser  mercies  ?  Is  not  God  enough  for 
thy  need,  or  is  His  all-sufficiency  too  narrow  for  thy  wants  : 
Dost  thou  want  another  eye  besides  that  of  Him  who  seefi 
every  secret  thing  ?  Is  His  heart  faint  ?  Is  His  arm  weary  ? 
If  so,  seek  another  God  ;  but  if  He  be  infinite,  omnipotent, 
faithful,  true,  and  all-wise,  why  gaddest  thou  abroad  so  much 
to  seek  another  confidence  ?  Why  dost  thou  rake  the  earth 
to  find  another  foundation,  when  this  is  strong  enough  to 
bear  all  the  weight  which  thou  canst  ever  build  thereon  ? 
Christian,  mix  not  thy  wine  with  water ;  do  not  alloy  thy 
gold  of  faith  with  the  dross  of  human  confidence.  Wait 
thou  only  upon  God,  and  let  thine  expectation  be  from 
Him.  Covet  not  Jonah's  gourd,  but  rest  in  Jonah's  God. 
Let  the  sandy  foundations  of  terrestrial  trust  be  the  choice 
of  fools  ;  but  do  thou,  like  one  who  foresees  the  storm,  build 
()T  thyself  an  abiding  place  upon  the  Rock  of  Ages. 


68  EVENING  READINGS.  March  8. 

"  She  called  his  name  Ben-oni  {son  of  sorrow),  but  his  father  called 
him  Benjamin  {son  of  my  right  hand)."  —  Genesis  xxxv.  18. 

^0  every  matter  there  is  a  bright  as  well  as  a  dark 
side.  Rachel  was  overwhelmed  with  the  sorrow  of 
her  own  travail  and  death ;  Jacob,  though  weeping 
the  mother's  loss,  could  see  the  mercy  of  the  child's  birth. 
It  is  well  for  us  if,  while  the  flesh  mourns  over  trials,  out 
faith  triumphs  in  divine  faithfulness.  Samson's  lion  yielded 
honey,  and  so  will  our  adversities,  if  rightly  considered. 
The  stormy  sea  feeds  multitudes  with  its  fishes ;  the  wild 
wood  blooms  with  beauteous  flowerets  ;  the  stormy  wind 
sweeps  away  the  pestilence,  and  the  biting  frost  loosens  the 
soil.  Dark  clouds  distil  bright  drops,  and  black  earth  grows 
gay  flowers.  A  vein  of  good  is  to  be  found  in  every  mine 
of  evil.  Sad  hearts  have  peculiar  skill  in  discovering  the 
most  disadvantageous  point  of  view  from  which  to  gaze 
upon  a  trial ;  if  there  were  only  one  slough  in  the  world, 
they  would  soon  be  up  to  their  necks  in  it,  and  if  there  were 
only  one  lion  in  the  desert,  they  would  hear  it  roar.  About 
us  all  there  is  a  tinge  of  this  wretched  folly,  and  we  are  apt, 
at  times,  like  Jacob,  to  cry,  "  All  these  things  are  against 
me."  Faith's  way  of  walking  is  to  cast  all  care  upon  the 
Lord,  and  then  to  anticipate  good  results  from  the  worst  ca- 
lamities. Like  Grideon's  men,  she  does  no^  fret  over  the 
broken  pitcher,  but  rejoices  that  the  lamp  t)laze£  forth  the 
more.  Out  of  the  rough  oyster-shell  of  difficulty  she  ex- 
tracts the  rare  pearl  of  honor,  and  from  the  deep  ocean- 
caves  of  distress  she  uplifts  the  priceless  coral  of  expe- 
rience. When  her  flood  of  prosperity  ebbs,  she  finds 
treasures  hid  in  the  sands ;  and  when  her  sun  of  delight 
goes  down,  she  turns  her  telescope  of  hope  to  the  starry 
promises  of  heaven.  When  death  itself  appears,  faith  pointa 
to  the  light  of  resurrection  beyond  the  grave,  thus  making 
our  dying  Ben-oni  to  be  '"ir  living  Benjamin. 


March  9.  evening  readinob.  M 

"Abide  in  Me." — John  xv.  4. 

jR^^c'OMMUNION  with  Christ  is  a  certain  cure  for  every 
-Cif"^^^  ill.  Whether  it  be  the  wormwood  of  woe,  or  the 
'^  '  cloying  surfeit  of  earthly  delight,  close  fellowship 
with  the  Lord  Jesus  will  take  bitterness  from  the  one,  and 
satiety  from  the  other.  Live  near  to  Jesus,  Christian,  and 
it  is  matter  of  secondary  importance  whether  thou  livest 
on  the  mountain  of  honor  or  in  the  valley  of  humiliation. 
Living  near  to  Jesus,  thou  art  covered  with  the  wings  of 
God,  and  underneath  thee  are  the  everlasting  arms.  Let 
nothing  keep  thee  from  that  hallowed  intercourse,  which  is 
the  choice  privilege  of  a  soul  wedded  to  the  well-beloved. 
Be  not  content  with  an  interview  now  and  then,  but  seek 
always  to  retain  His  company,  for  only  in  His  presence  hast 
thou  either  comfort  or  safety.  Jesus  should  not  be  unto  us 
a  friend  who  calls  upon  us  now  and  then,  but  one  with  whom 
we  walk  evermore.  Thou  hast  a  difficult  road  before  thee ; 
see,  0  traveller  to  heaven,  that  thou  go  not  without  thy 
guide.  Thou  hast  to  pass  through  the  fiery  furnace  ;  enter 
it  not,  unless,  like  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abeduego,  thou 
hast  the  Son  of  God  to  be  thy  companion.  Thou  hast  to 
storm  the  Jericho  of  thine  own  corruptions  ;  attempt  not  the 
warfare  until,  like  Joshua,  thou  hast  seen  the  Captain  of  the 
Lord's  host,  with  His  sword  drawn  in  His  hand.  Thou  art 
to  meet  the  Esau  of  thy  many  temptations ;  meet  him  not 
uutil  at  Jabbok's  brook  thou  hast  laid  hold  upon  the  angel, 
and  prevailed.  In  every  case,  in  every  condition,  thou  wilt 
need  Jesus;  but  most  of  all,  when  the  iron  gates  of  death 
shall  open  to  thee.  Keep  thou  close  to  thy  soul's  Husband, 
lean  thy  head  upon  His  bosom,  ask  to  be  refreshed  with  the 
spiced  wine  of  His  pomegranate,  and  thou  shall  be  found  of 
Him  at  the  last,  without  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing. 
Seeing  thou  hast  lived  with  Him,  and  lived  in  Him  here, 
ihou  shalt  abide  with  him  forever. 


70  ETENiNG  READINGS.  March  10. 

"  Man ,  ...  is  of  few  days,  and  full  of  trouble."  —  Job  xiv.  1. 

fT  may  be  of  great  service  to  tis,  before  we  fall  asleep, 
I  ^  to  remember  this  mournful  fact,  for  it  may  lead  us  to 
^  set  loose  by  earthly  things.  There  is  nothing  very 
pleasant  in  the  recollection  that  we  are  not  above  the  shafts 
of  adversity,  but  it  may  humble  us  and  prevent  our  boasting 
like  the  Psalmist  in  our  morning's  portion,  "  My  mountain 
standeth  firm :  I  shall  never  be  moved."  It  may  stay  us 
from  making  too  deep  root  in  this  soil  from  which  we  are  so 
soon  to  be  transplanted  into  the  heavenly  garden.  Let  us 
recollect  the  frail  tenure  upon  which  we  hold  our  temporal 
mercies.  If  we  would  remember  that  all  the  trees  of  earth 
are  marked  for  the  woodman's  axe,  we  should  not  be  so 
ready  to  build  our  nests  in  them.  We  should  love,  but  we 
should  love  with  the  love  which  expects  death,  and  which 
reckons  upon  separations.  Our  dear  relations  are  but  loaned 
to  us,  and  the  hour  when  we  must  return  them  to  the  lend- 
er's hand  may  be  even  at  the  door.  The  like  is  certainly 
true  of  our  worldly  goods.  Do  not  riches  take  to  themselves 
wings  and  fly  away  ?  Our  health  is  equally  precarious. 
Frail  flowers  of  the  field,  we  must  not  reckon  upon  blooming 
forever.  There  is  a  time  appointed  for  weakness  and  sick- 
ness, when  we  shall  have  to  glorify  God  by  suffering,  and 
not  by  earnest  activity.  There  is  nO  single  point  in  which 
we  can  hope  to  escape  from  the  sharp  arrows  of  affliction  ; 
out  of  our  few  days  there  is  not  one  secure  from  sorrow. 
Man's  life  is  a  cask  full  of  bitter  wine  ;  he  who  looks  for  joy 
in  it  had  better  seek  for  honey  in  an  ocean  of  brine.  Be- 
loved reader,  set  not  your  aff'ections  upon  things  of  earth ; 
but  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  for  here  the  moth  de- 
voureth,  and  the  thief  breaketh  through,  but  there  all  joys 
are  perpetual  and  eternal.  The  path  of  trouble  is  the  way 
home.  Lord,  make  this  thought  a  pillow  for  many  a  wearj 
bead  I 


March  11.  EViNiNO  beadinos.  71 

"  Thoti  shall  be  called,  Sought  out."  —  Isaiah  Ixii.  12. 

^f^^HE  surpassing  grace  of  God  is  seen  very  clearly  in 
irkj^  that  we  were  not  only  sought,  but  sought  out.  Men 
"^^"^  seek  for  a  thing  which  is  lost  upon  the  floor  of  the 
house,  but  in  such  a  case  there  is  only  seeking,  not  seeking 
out.  The  loss  is  more  perplexing,  and  the  search  more  per- 
severing, when  a  thing  is  sought  out.  We  were  mingled  with 
the  mire  ;  we  were  as  when  some  precious  piece  of  gold  falls 
into  the  sewer,  and  men  gather  out  and  carefully  inspect  a 
mass  of  abominable  filth,  and  continue  to  stir  and  rake,  and 
search  among  the  heap  until  the  treasure  is  found.  Or,  to 
use  another  figure,  we  were  lost  in  a  labyrinth  ;  we  wandered 
hither  and  thither,  and  when  mercy  came  after  us  with  the 
gospel,  it  did  not  find  us  at  the  first  coming ;  it  had  to  search 
for  us  and  seek  us  out ;  for  we  as  lost  sheep  were  so  desper- 
ately lost,  and  had  wandered  into  such  a  strange  country, 
that  it  did  not  seem  possible  that  even  the  Good  Shepherd 
should  track  our  devious  roamings.  Glory  be  to  unconquer- 
able grace,  we  were  sought  out  !  No  gloom  could  hide  us,  no 
filthiness  could  conceal  us;  we  were  found  and  brought  home. 
Glory  be  to  infinite  love,  God  the  Holy  Spirit  restored  us ! 

The  lives  of  some  of  God's  people,  if  they  could  be  written 
would  fill  us  with  holy  astonishment.  Strange  and  mar 
vellous  are  the  ways  which  God  used  in  their  case  to  find  Hisi 
own.  Blessed  be  His  name,  He  never  relinquishes  the  search 
until  the  chosen  are  sought  out  effectually.  They  are  not 
a  people  sought  to-day  and  cast  away  to-morrow.  Almighti- 
ness  and  wisdom  combined  will  make  no  failures ;  they  shall 
bo  called,  '•'■Sought  out!"  That  anrj  should  be  sought  out,  is 
matchless  grace,  but  that  we  should  be  sought  out  is  grace 
beyond  degree!  We  can  find  no  reason  for  it  but  God's  own 
sovereign  love,  and  can  only  lift  up  our  heart  in  wonder 
and  praise  the  Lord  that  this  nif  ht  we  wear  the  name  of 
^'SouglU  out." 


72  EVENING  READINGS.  March  12. 

"  To  whom  belongest  thou'?" —  1  Samuel  xxx.  13. 

jO  neutralities  can  exist  in  religion.  We  are  either 
7f^  ranked  under  the  banner  of  Prince  Iramanuel,  to 
serve  and  fight  His  battles,  or  we  are  vassals  of  the 
black  prince,  Satan.     "To  whom  belongest  thou  ?" 

Reader,  let  me  assist  you  in  your  response.  Have  you 
been  "  born  again"  f  If  you  have,  you  belong  to  Christ;  but 
without  the  new  birth  you  cannot  be  His.  In  whom  do  you 
trust  f  For  those  who  believe  in  Jesus  are  the  sons  of  Grod. 
Whose  work  are  you  doing  ?  You  are  sure  to  serve  your 
master,  for  he  whom  you  serve  is  thereby  owned  to  be  your 
lord.  What  company  do  you  keep  f  If  you  belong  to  Jesus, 
you  will  fraternize  with  those  who  wear  the  livery  of  the 
cross.  "  Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together."  What  is  your 
conversation?  Is  it  heavenly,  or  is  it  earthly?  What  have 
you  learned  of  your  blaster  ?  ~ —  for  servants  learn  much  from 
their  masters  to  whom  they  are  apprenticed.  If  you  have 
served  your  time  with  Jesus,  it  will  be  said  of  you,  as  it  was 
of  Peter  and  John,  "  They  took  knowledge  of  them  that 
they  had  been  with  Jesus." 

We  press  the  question,  "  To  whom  belongest  thou  ?"  An- 
swer honestly  before  you  give  sleep  to  your  eyes.  If  you  are 
not  Christ's  you  are  in  a  hard  service.  Run  axoay  from  your 
cruel  master  !  Enter  into  the  service  of  the  Lord  of  Love, 
and  you  shall  enjoy  a  life  of  blessedness.  If  you  are  Christ's, 
let  me  advise  you  to  do  four  things.  You  belong  to  Jesus  — 
obey  Him;  let  His  word  be  your  law;  let  His  wish  be  your 
will.  You  belong  to  the  Beloved;  then  love  Him;  let  your 
heart  embrace  Him ;  let  your  whole  soul  be  filled  with 
Him.  You  belong  to  the  Son  of  God;  then  trust  Him; 
rest  nowhere  but  on  Him.  You  belong  to  the  King  of 
kings ;  then  he  decided  for  Him.  Thus,  without  your 
being  branded  upon  the  brow,  all  will  know  to  whom  yoii 
belong. 


March  13.  eteninq  readings.  73 

"Tlien  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and  took  her,  and  pulled  Ht  in  unto 
him  into  the  ark."  —  Genesis  viii.  9. 


,EARTED  out  with  her  wanderings,  the  dove  returns  at 
v,^  length  to  the  ark  as  her  only  resting-place.  How 
*^  heavily  she  flies  —  she  will  drop  —  she  will  never 
reach  the  ark  !  But  she  struggles  on.  Noah  has  been  look- 
ing out  for  his  dove  all  day  long,  and  is  ready  to  receive  her. 
She  has  just  strength  to  reach  the  edge  of  the  ark;  she  can 
hardly  alight  upon  it,  and  is  ready  to  drop,  when  Noah  puts 
forth  his  hand  and  pulls  her  in  unto  him.  Mark  that :  "  pulled 
her  in  unto  hi7n."  She  did  not  fly  right  in  herself,  but  was  too 
fearful,  or  too  weary,  to  do  so.  She  flew  as  far  ar  she  could, 
and  then  he  put  forth  his  hand  and  pulled  her  ir  unto  him. 
This  act  of  mercy  was  shown  to  the  wandering  doT  c,  and  she 
was  not  chidden  for  her  wanderings.  Just  as  she  wti  she  was 
pulled  into  the  ark.  So  you,  seeking  sinner,  with  oil  your 
sin,  will  be  received.  "  Only  return  "  —  these  are  God'^x  two 
gracious  words  —  "  only  return."  What !  nothing  else  ?  No, 
"  only  return."  She  had  no  olive  branch  in  her  mouth  this 
time,  nothing  at  all  but  just  herself  and  her  wanderings  ;  but 
it  is  "  only  return,"  and  she  does  return,  and  Noah  pulls  her 
in.  Fly,  thou  wanderer ;  fly,  thou  fainting  one,  dove  as  thou 
art,  though  thouthinkest  thyself  to  be  black  as  the  raven  with 
the  mire  of  sin,  back,  back  to  the  Saviour.  Every  moment 
thou  waitest  does  but  increase  thy  misery ;  thine  attempts  to 
plume  thyself  and  make  thyself  fit  for  Jesus  are  all  vanity. 
Come  thou  to  Him  just  as  thou  art.  "  Return,  thou  back- 
sliding Israel."  He  does  not  say,  "Return,  thou  repenting 
Israel "  (there  is  such  an  invitation,  doubtless),  but  "  thou 
backsliding  one,"  as  a  backslider  with  all  thy  backslidings 
about  thee.  Return,  return,  return  !  Jesus  is  waiting  for 
thee  !  He  will  stretch  forth  His  hand  and  "  pull  thee  in  "  — 
in  to  Himself,  thy  heart's  true  home. 
7 


74  EVENING  READINGS.  March  14. 

"  I  will  take  heed  to  my  ways."  —  Psalm  xxxix.  1. 

I^I^ELLOW-PILGRIM,  say  not  in  your  heart,  "  I  will  go 
hither  and  thither,  and  I  shall  not  sin ;  "  for  you  are 
never  so  out  of  danger  of  sinning  as  to  boast  of  se- 
curity. The  road  is  very  miry  ;  it  will  be  hard  to  pick 
your  path  so  as  not  to  soil  your  garments.  This  is  a  world 
of  pitch ;  you  will  need  to  watch  often,  if  in  handling  it  you 
are  to  keep  your  hands  clean.  There  is  a  robber  at  every 
turn  of  the  road  to  rob  you  of  your  jewels  ;  there  is  a  temp- 
tation in  every  mercy ;  there  is  a  snare  in  every  joy  ;  and  if 
you  ever  reach  heaven,  it  will  be  a  miracle  of  divine  grace  to 
be  ascribed  entirely  to  your  Father's  power.  Be  on  your 
guard.  When  a  man  carries  a  bomb-shell  in  his  hand,  he 
should  mind  that  he  does  not  go  near  a  candle  ;  and  you  too 
must  take  care  that  you  enter  not  into  temptation.  Even 
your  common  actions  are  edged  tools ;  you  must  mind  how 
you  handle  them.  There  is  nothing  in  this  world  to  foster 
a  Christian's  piety,  but  everything  to  destroy  it.  How  anx- 
ious should  you  be  to  look  up  to  God,  that  He  may  keep  you 
Your  prayer  should  be,  "  Hold  thou  me  up,  and  I  shall  be 
safe."  Having  prayed,  you  must  also  watch  ;  guarding  every 
thought,  word,  and  action  with  holy  jealousy.  Do  not  expose 
yourself  unnecessarily ;  but  if  called  to  exposure,  if  you  are 
bidden  to  go  where  the  darts  are  flying,  never  venture  forth 
without  your  shield ;  for  if  once  the  devil  finds  you  without 
your  buckler,  he  will  rejoice  that  his  hour  of  triumph  is  come, 
and  will  soon  make  you  fall  down  wounded  by  his  arrows. 
Though  slain  you  cannot  be,  wounded  you  may  be.  "  Be 
sober,  be  vigilant ;  danger  may  be  in  an  hour  when  all  seem- 
eth  securest  to  thee."  Therefore  take  heed  to  thy  ways,  and 
watch  unto  prayer.  No  man  ever  fell  into  error  through  be- 
ing too  watchful.  May  the  Holy  Spirit  guide  us  in  all  oui 
ways  ;  so  shall  they  always  please  the  Lord.  , 


March  15.  evening  rkadings.  75 

"  Ue  did  it  with  all  his  heart  and  prospered."  —  2  Chron.  xxxi.  21, 

^HIS  is  no  unusual  occurrence ;  it  is  the  general  rule 
of  the  moral  universe  that  those  men  prosper  who  dc 
their  work  with  all  their  hearts,  while  those  are  almost 
certain  to  fail  who  go  to  their  labor  leaving  half  their  hearts 
behind  them.  God  does  not  give  harvests  to  idle  men,  ex- 
cept harvests  of  thistles,  nor  is  He  plca«ed  to  send  wealth  to 
those  who  will  not  dig  in  the  field  to  find  its  hid  treasure.  It 
is  universally  confessed  that  if  a  man  would  prosper,  he  must 
be  diligent  in  business.  It  is  the  same  in  religion  as  it  is 
in  other  things.  If  you  would  prosper  in  your  work  for  Je- 
sus, let  it  be  heart  work,  and  let  it  be  done  with  all  your  heart. 
Put  as  much  force,  energy,  heartiness,  and  earnestness  into 
religion  as  ever  you  do  into  business,  for  it  deserves  far  more. 
The  Holy  Spirit  helps  our  infirmities,  but  He  does  not  en- 
courage our  idleness ;  He  loves  active  believers.  Who  are 
the  most  useful  men  in  the  Christian  church  ?  The  men  who 
do  what  they  undertake  for  God  with  all  their  hearts.  Who 
are  the  most  successful  Sabbath-school  teachers  ?  The  most 
talented  ?  No  ;  the  most  zealous  ;  the  men  whose  hearts  are 
on  fire,  those  are  the  men  who  see  their  Lord  riding  forth 
prosperously  in  the  majesty  of  His  salvation.  Whole-heart- 
edness  shows  itself  in  perseverance;  there  may  be  failure  at 
first,  but  the  earnest  worker  will  say,  "  It  is  the  Lord's  work, 
and  it  must  be  done ;  my  Lord  has  bidden  me  do  it,  and 
in  His  strength  I  will  accomplish  it."  Christian,  art  thou 
thus  "  with  all  thine  heart"  serving  thy  Master  ?  Remember 
the  earnestness  of  Jesus  !  Think  what  heart-work  was  His  ! 
He  could  say,  "■  The  zeal  of  Thine  house  hath  eaten  Me  up." 
When  He  sweat  great  drops  of  blood,  it  was  no  light  burden 
He  kad  to  carry  upon  those  blessed  shoulders  ;  and  when  He 
poured  out  His  heart,  it  was  no  weak  eff"ort  He  was  making 
for  the  salvation  of  His  people.  Was  Jesus  in  earnest,  and 
are  we  lukewarm  ? 


76  EVENi>G  READINGS.  March  16, 

"  Keep  back  Thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins." 
Psalm  xix.  13. 

^i^ijJ^^UCH  was  the  prayer  of  the  "  maji  after  God^t  own 
^V»^  heart"  Did  holy  David  need  to  pray  thus  ?  How 
needful,  then,  must  such  a  prayer  be  for  us  babes  in 
grace  !  It  is  as  if  he  said,  "  Keep  nie  back,  or  I  shall  rush 
headlong  over  the  precipice  of  sin."  Our  evil  nature,  like 
an  ill-tempered  horse,  is  apt  to  run  away.  May  the  grace  of 
God  put  the  bridle  upon  it,  and  hold  it  in,  that  it  rush  not 
into  mischief.  What  might  not  the  best  of  us  do  if  it  were 
not  for  the  checks  which  the  Lord  sets  upon  us  both  in  prov- 
idence and  in  grace !  The  psalmist's  prayer  is  directed 
against  the  worst  form  of  sin  —  that  which  is  done  with  de- 
liberation and  wilfulness.  Even  the  holiest  need  to  be  "  kept 
back"  from  the  vilest  transgressions.  It  is  a  solemn  thing 
to  find  the  apostle  Paul  warning  saints  against  the  most  loath- 
some sins.  "  Mortify  therefore  your  members  which  are  upon 
the  earth  ;  fornication,  uncleanness,  inordinate  affection,  evil 
concupiscence,  and  covetousness,  which  is  idolatry."  What ! 
do  saints  want  warning  against  such  sins  as  these  ?  Yes. 
they  do.  The  whitest  robes,  unless  their  purity  be  preserved 
by  divine  grace,  will  be  defiled  by  the  blackest  spots.  Ex- 
perienced Christian,  boast  not  in  your  experience  ;  you  will 
trip  yet  if  you  look  away  from  Him  who  is  able  to  keep  you 
from  falling.  Ye  whose  love  is  fervent,  whose  faith  is  con- 
stant, whose  hopes  are  bright,  say  not,  "  We  shall  never 
sin,"  but  rather  cry,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation."  There 
is  enough  tinder  in  the  heart  of  the  best  of  men  to  light  a 
fire  that  shall  burn  to  the  lowest  hell,  unless  God  shall  quench 
the  sparks  as  ihey  fall.  Who  would  have  dreamed  that  right- 
eous Lot  could  be  found  drunken,  and  committing  unclean- 
ness ?  Hazael  said,  "  Is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should 
do  this  thing  ? "  and  we  are  very  apt  to  use  the  same  self- 
righteous  question.  May  infinite  wisdom  cure  us  of  th# 
madness  of  self-6onfidence. 


March   17.  EVENING    READINGS.  71 

"  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers :  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children 
of  Ood."  —  Matthew  v.  9. 

JUTS  is  the  seventh  of  the  beatitudes  :  and  seven  was 
M  the  number  of  perfection  among  the  Hebrews.  It 
may  be  that  the  Saviour  placed  the  peacemaker  the 
seventh  upon  the  list  because  he  most  nearly  approaches  the 
perfect  man  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  who  would  have  perfect 
blessedness,  so  far  as  it  can  be  enjoyed  on  earth,  must  attain 
to  this  seventh  benediction,  and  become  a  peacemaker.  There 
is  a  significance  also  in  the  position  of  the  text.  The  verse 
which  precedes  it  speaks  of  the  blessedness  of  "  the  pure  in 
heart :  for  they  shall  see  God."  It  is  well  to  understand  that 
we  are  to  be  "  first  pure,  then  peaceable."  Our  peaceableness 
is  never  to  be  a  compact  with  sin,  or  toleration  of  evil.  We 
must  set  our  faces  like  flints  against  everything  which  is  con- 
trary to  God  and  His  holiness  :  purity  being  in  our  souls  a 
settled  matter,  we  can  go  on  to  peaceableness.  Not  less  does 
the  verse  that  follows  seem  to  have  been  put  there  on  pur- 
pose.  However  peaceable  we  may  be  in  this  world,  yet  we 
shall  be  misrepresented  and  misunderstood  ;  and  no  marvel, 
for  even  the  Prince  of  peace  by  His  very  peacefulness  brought 
fire  upon  the  earth.  He  Himself,  though  He  loved  mankind, 
and  did  no  ill,  was  "  despised  and  rejected  of  men ;  a  man  of 
sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief."  Lest,  therefore,  the 
peaceable  in  heart  should  be  surprised  when  they  meet  with 
enemies,  it  is  added  in  the  following  verse,  "  Blessed  are  they 
which  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake  :  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  Thus  the  peacemakers  are  not  only 
pronounced  to  be  blessed,  but  they  are  compassed  about  with 
blessings.  Lord,  give  us  grace  to  climb  to  this  seventh  be- 
atitude !  Purify  our  minds  that  we  may  be  "  first  pure,  then 
peaceable,"  and  fortify  our  souls,  that  our  peaceableness 
may  not  lead  us  into  cowardice  and  despair,  when  for  Thj 
sake  we  are  persecuted. 
7* 


78  rvENiNO  UEADiNGS.  March  18. 

*As  the  Father  hath  loved  Me,  so  have  Iloved  you."  —  John  xv.  9 

ll'r^S  the  Father  loves  the  Son,  in  the  same  manner  Jesus 
J  (^  loves  His  people.  What  is  that  divine  method  ?  He 
.^rn-mM  loved  Him  without  beginning,  and  thus  Jesus  love? 
His  members. '  "  /  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love.'' 
You  can  trace  the  beginning  of  human  affection  ;  you  can 
easily  find  the  beginning  of  your  love  to  Christ,  but  His  love 
to  us  is  a  stream  whose  source  is  hidden  in  eternity.  God 
the  Father  loves  Jesus  tvithout  any  change.  Christian,  take 
this  for  your  comfort,  that  there  is  no  change  in  Jesus  Christ's 
love  to  those  who  rest  in  Him.  Yesterday  you  were  on  Ta- 
bor's top,  and  you  said,  "  He  loves  me  : "  to-day  you  are  in 
the  valley  of  humiliation,  but  He  loves  you  still  the  same. 
On  the  hill  Mizar,  and  among  the  Hermons,  you  heard  His 
voice  which  spake  so  sweetly  with  the  turtle-notes  of  love  ; 
and  now  on  the  sea,  or  even  in  the  sea,  when  all  His  waves 
and  billows  go  over  you.  His  heart  is  faithful  to  His  ancient 
choice.  The  Father  loves  the  Son  without  any  end,  and  thus 
does  the  Son  love  His  people.  Saint,  thou  needest  not  fear 
the  loosing  of  the  silver  cord,  for  His  love  for  thee  will 
never  cease.  Rest  confident  that  even  down  to  the  grave 
Christ  will  go  with  you,  and  that  up  again  from  it  He  will 
be  your  guide  to  the  celestial  hills.  Moreover,  the  Father 
loves  the  Son  without  any  measure,  and  the  same  immeasu- 
rable love  the  Son  bestows  upon  His  chosen  ones.  The 
whole  heart  of  Christ  is  dedicated  to  His  people.  He 
"  loved  us  and  gave  Himself  for  us."  His  is  a  love  which 
passeth  knowledge.  Ah !  we  have  indeed  an  immutablrs 
Saviour,  a  precious  Saviour,  one  who  loves  without  measure, 
without  change,  without  beginning,  and  without  end,  even 
as  the  Father  loves  Him !  There  is  much  food  here  for 
those  who  know  how  to  digest  it.  May  the  Holy  Ghost  lead 
us  into  its  marrow  and  fatness  ! 


Marcb  IS.  even  tNO  readings.  79 

"And  she  did  eat,  and  was  sufficed,  and  left." —  Ruth  ii.  14. 


^|S|^HENEVER  we  are  privileged  to  eat  of  the  bread 
WH^/'i  ^hi*^^  Jesus  gives,  we  are,  like  Ruth,  satisfied  with 
^'**^  the  full  and  sweet  repast.  When  Jesus  is  the  host, 
no  guest  goes  empty  from  the  table.  Our  head  is  satisfied 
with  the  precious  truth  which  Christ  reveals  ;  our  heart  is 
content  with  Jesus,  as  the  altogether  lovely  object  of  afi'ec- 
tion  ;  our  hope  is  satisfied,  for  whom  have  we  in  heaven  but 
Jesus  ?  and  our  desire  is  satiated,  for  what  can  we  wish  for 
more  than  "  to  know  Christ  and  to  be  found  in  Him"  ?  Je- 
sus fills  our  conscience,  till  it  is  at  perfect  peace  ;  our  judg- 
ment with  persuasion  of  the  certainty  of  His  teachings  ;  oui 
memory  with  recollections  of  what  He  has  done,  and  our  iw 
agination  with  the  prospects  of  what  He  is  yet  to  do.  As 
Ruth  was  '*  sufiiced,  and  left"  so  it  is  with  us.  We '•have 
had  deep  draughts ;  we  have  thought  that  we  could  take  in 
all  of  Christ ;  but  when  we  have  done  our  best,  we  have  had 
to  leave  a  vast  remainder.  We  have  sat  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord's  love,  and  said,  "  Nothing  but  the  infinite  can  ever 
satisfy  me  ;  I  am  such  a  great  sinner  that  I  must  have  infi- 
nite merit  to  wash  my  sin  away  ; "  but  we  have  had  our  sin 
removed,  and  Tound  that  there  was  merit  to  spare  ;  we  have 
had  our  hunger  relieved  at  the  feast  of  sacred  love,  and 
found  that  there  was  a  redundance  of  spiritual  meat  remain- 
ing. There  are  certain  sweet  things  in  the  word  of  God 
which  we  have  not  enjoyed  yet,  and  which  we  are  obliged  to 
leave  for  a  while  ;  for  we  are  like  the  disciples  to  whom  Jesus 
said,  "  I  have  yet  many  things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  can- 
not bear  them  now."  Yes,  there  are  graces  to  which  we 
have  not  attained  ;  places  of  fellowship  nearer  to  Christ 
which  we  have  not  reached  ;  and  heights  cf  communion 
which  our  feet  have  not  climbed.  At  every  banquet  of  love 
there  are  many  baskets  of  fragments  left.  Let  ua  magnify 
the  liberality  of  our  glorious  Boaz. 


80  EVENING  KEADiNGS.  March  20 

*'  Husbands.,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church." 
Ephesians  v.  25. 

^I^I^HAT  a  golden  example  Christ  gives  to  His  disciples  1 
mfMh  Vew  masters  could  venture  to  say,  "  If  you  would 
*^^^^  practise  ray  teaching,  imitate  my  life  ; "  but  as  the 
life  of  Jesus  is  the  exact  transcript  of  perfect  virtue,  He  can 
point  to  Himself  as  the  paragon  of  holiness,  as  well  as  the 
teacher  of  it.  The  Christian  should  take  nothing  short  of 
Christ  for  his  model.  Under  no  circumstances  ought  we  to 
be  content  unless  we  reflect  the  grace  which  was  in  Him. 
As  a  husband,  the  Christian  is  to  look  upon  the  portrait  of 
Christ  Jesus,  and  he  is  to  paint  according  to  that  copy. 
The  true  Christian  is  to  be  such  a  husband  as  Christ  was  to 
His  church.  The  love  of  a  husband  is  special.  The  Lord 
Jesus  cherishes  for  the  church  a  peculiar  affection,  which  is 
set  upon  her  above  the  rest  of  mankind  :  "  1  pray  for  them, 
I  pray  not  for  the  world."  The  elect  church  is  the  favorite 
of  heaven,  the  treasure  of  Christ,  the  crown  of  His  head, 
the  bracelet  of  His  arm,  the  breastplate  of  His  heart,  the 
very  centre  and  core  of  His  love.  A  husband  should  love 
his  wife  with  a  constant  love,  for  thus  Jesus  loves  His  church. 
He  does  not  vary  in  His  affection.  He  may  change  in  His 
display  of  affection,  but  the  affection  itself  is  still  the  same. 
A  husband  should  love  his  wife  with  an  enduring  love,  for 
nothing  "  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  A  true  husband  loves 
his  wife  with  a  hearty  love,  fervent  and  intense.  It  is  not 
mere  lip-service.  Ah  !  beloved,  what  more  could  Christ 
have  done  in  proof  of  His  love  than  He  has  done  ?  Jesus 
has  a  delighted  love  towards  His  spouse  ;  He  prizes  her  affec- 
tion, and  delights  in  her  with  sweet  complacence.  Believer, 
you  wonder  at  Jesus'  love;  you  admire  it  —  are  you  imi- 
tating it  ?  In  your  domestic  relationships  is  the  rule  and 
measure  of  your  love  —  "  even  as  Christ  loved  the  church"  f 


March  21.  evening  readings.  8i 

•*  Carist  thou  bind  the  sweet  influences  of  Pleiades,  or  loose  the  hawli 
of  Orion  ?  "  —  Job  xxxviii.  31. 


'm 


•?;F  inclined  to  boast  of  our  abilities,  the  grandeur  of 
',^]  nature  may  soon  show  us  how  puny  we  are.  We 
^  cannot  move  the  least  of  all  the  twinkling  stars,  or 
quench  so  much  as  one  of  the  beams  of  the  morning.  Wc 
speak  of  power,  but  the  heavens  laugh  us  to  scorn.  \v'^hen 
the  Pleiades  shine  forth  in  spring  with  vernal  joy  we  c^lnnot 
restrain  their  influences  ;  and  when  Orion  reigns  aloft,  and 
the  year  is  bound  in  winter's  fetters,  we  cannot  relax  the  icy 
bands.  The  seasons  revolve  according  to  the  divine  ap- 
pointment, neither  can  the  whole  race  of  men  eflfect  a  change 
therein.     Lord,  what  is  man  ? 

In  the  spiritual,  as  in  the  natural  world,  man's  power  is 
limited  on  all  hands.  When  the  Holy  Spirit  sheds  abroad 
His  delights  in  the  soul,  none  can  disturb  ;  all  the  cunning 
and  malice  of  men  are  ineffectual  to  stay  the  genial  quicken- 
ing power  of  the  Comforter.  When  He  deigns  to  visit  a 
church  and  revive  it,  the  most  inveterate  enemies  cannot  re- 
sist the  good  work  ;  they  may  ridicule  it,  but  they  can  no 
more  restrain  it  than  they  can  push  back  the  spring  when  the 
Pleiades  rule  the  hour.  God  wills  it,  and  so  it  must  be.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  the  Lord  in  sovereignty,  or  in  justice,  oind 
up  a  man  so  that  he  is  in  soul  bondage,  who  can  give  him 
liberty?  He  alone  can  remove  the  winter  of  spiritual  death 
from  an  individual  or  a  people.  He  looses  the  bands  of 
Orion,  and  none  but  He.  What  a  blessing  it  is  that  He  can 
doit!  O  that  He  would  perform  the  wonder  to-night !  Lord, 
end  my  winter,  and  let  my  spring  begin.  I  cannot,  with  all 
ray  longings,  raise  my  soul  out  of  her  death  and  dulness,  but 
all  things  are  possible  with  Thee.  I  need  celestial  iuflucnccs, 
the  clear  shinings  of  Thy  love,  the  beams  of  Thy  grace,  the  light 
of  Thy  countenance  ;  these  are  the  Pleiades  to  me.  I  suffof 
much  from  sin  and  temptation  ;  these  are  my  wintry  signs,  n\\ 
terrible  Orion.  Lord,  work  wonders  in  me.  and  for  me.  Amcb 


82  ETENiNG  KEADiKGS  March  22. 

"  Father,  I  will  that  they  also,  whom  lliou  hast  given  Me,  he  with 
Me  where  I  am."  —  John  xvii.  24. 

Sj§  DEATH  !  why  dost  thou  touch  the  tree  beneath 
7^  whose  spreading  branches  weariness  hath  rest  ? 
'^  Why  dost  thou  snatch  away  the  excellent  of  the 
earth,  in  whom  is  all  our  delight  ?  If  thou  must  use  thine 
axe,  use  it  upon  the  trees  which  yield  no  fruit ;  thou  mightsl 
be  thanked  then.  But  why  wilt  thou  fell  the  goodly  cedars 
of  Lebanon  ?  Oh,  stay  thine  axe,  and  spare  the  righteous. 
But  no,  it  must  not  be  ;  death  smites  the  goodliest  of  our 
friends  ;  the  most  generous,  the  most  prayerful,  the  most 
holy,  the  most  devoted  must  die.  And  why  ?  It  is  through 
Jesus'  prevailing  prayer  —  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also, 
whom  Thou  hast  given  Me,  be  with  Me  where  I  am,"  It  is 
that  which  bears  them  on  eagles'  wings  to  heaven.  Every 
time  a  believer  mounts  from  this  earth  to  paradise,  it  is  an 
answer  to  Christ's  prayer.  A  good  old  divine  remarks, 
"  Many  times  Jesus  and  His  people  pull  against  one  another 
in  prayer.  You  bend  your  knee  in  prayer  and  say,  '  Father, 
I  will  that  Thy  saints  be  with  me  where  /  am  ; '  Christ  says, 
'  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me,  be 
with  Me  where  /  am.'  "  Thus  the  disciple  is  at  cross-pur- 
poses with  his  Lord.  The  soul  cannot  be  in  both  places  : 
the  beloved  one  cannot  be  with  Christ  and  with  you  too. 
Now,  which  pleader  shall  win  the  day  ?  If  you  had  your 
choice  ;  if  the  King  should  step  from  His  throne,  and  say, 
"  Here  are  two  supplicants  praying  in  opposition  to  one 
another  ;  which  shall  be  answered  ? "  Oh  !  I  am  sure,  though 
it  were  agony,  you  would  start  from  your  feet,  and  say, 
"  Jesus,  not  my  will,  but  Thine  be  done."  You  would  give 
up  your  prayer  for  your  loved  one's  life,  if  you  could  realize 
the  thought  that  Christ  is  praying  in  the  opposite  direction 
—  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also,  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me, 
be  witli  Me  where  I  am."  Lord,  Thou  shalt  have  them.  Bj 
faith  wo  let  them  go. 


March  23.  bvenino  eeadings.  8S 

"  /  tell  you  that,  if  these  should  hold  their  peace,  the  stones  would 
immediately  cry  out."  —  Luke  xix.  40. 

l^tlJT  could  the  stones  cry  out  ?     Assuredly  they  couM  ; 

j^  if  He  who  opens  the  mouth  of  the  dumb  should  bid 
them  lift  up  their  voice.  Certainly  if  they  were  to 
apeak,  they  would  have  much  to  testify  in  praise  of  Hira  who 
created  them  by  the  word  of  His  power  ;  they  could  extol 
the  wisdom  and  power  of  their  Maker,  who  called  them  into 
being.  Shall  not  we  speak  well  of  Hira  who  made  us  anew, 
and  out  of  stones  raised  up  children  unto  Abraham  ?  The 
old  rocks  could  tell  of  chaos  and  order,  and  the  handiwork 
of  God  in  successive  stages  of  creation's  drama  ;  and  cannot 
we  talk  of  God's  decrees,  of  God's  great  work  in  ancient 
times,  and  all  that  He  did  for  His  church  in  the  days  of  old  ? 
If  the  stones  were  to  speak,  they  could  tell  of  their  hreahei, 
how  he  took  them  from  the  quarry,  and  made  them  fit  for 
the  temple  ;  and  cannot  we  tell  of  our  glorious  Breaker,  who 
broke  our  hearts  with  the  hammer  of  His  word,  that  He 
might  build  us  into  His  temple  ?  If  the  stones  should  cry 
out  they  would  magnify  their  builder,  who  polished  them  and 
fashioned  them  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace  ;  and  shall 
not  we  talk  of  our  Architect  and  Builder,  who  has  put  us  in 
our  place  in  the  temple  of  the  living  God  ?  If  the  stones 
could  cry  out,  they  might  have  a  long,  long  story  to  tell  by 
way  of  memorial,  for  many  a  time  hath  a  great  stone  been 
rolled  as  a  memorial  before  the  Lord  ;  and  we,  too,  can  tes- 
tify of  Ebenezers,  stones  of  help,  pillars  of  remembrance. 
The  broken  stones  of  the  law  cry  out  against  us,  but  Christ 
Himself,  who  has  rolled  away  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the 
sepulchre,  speaks  for  us.  Stones  might  well  cry  out,  but 
we  will  not  let  them  :  we  will  hush  their  noise  with  ours  ;  we 
will  break  forth  into  sacred  song,  and  bless  the  majesty  of 
the  Most  High,  all  our  days  glorifying  Him  who  is  called  bj 
Jacob  the  Shepherd  and  Stone  of  Israel. 


84  EVENING  READINGS.  March  24L 

"/«  that  hour  Jesus  rejoiced  in  spirit."  —  Luke  x.  21. 

^,  ^HE  Saviour  was  "  a  man  of  sorrows,"  but  every 
M\i  thoughtful  mind  has  discovered  the  fact  that  down 
deep  in  His  innermost  soul  He  carried  an  inexhaust 
ibie  treasury  of  refined  and  heavenly  joy.  Of  all  the  human 
race,  there  was  never  a  man  who  had  a  deeper,  purer,  or 
more  abiding  peace  than  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  "  He  was 
anointed  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  His  fellows."  His 
vast  benevolence  must,  from  the  very  nature  of  things,  have 
afforded  Him  the  deepest  possible  delight,  for  benevolence 
is  joy.  There  were  a  few  remarkable  seasons  when  this  joy 
manifested  itself.  "  At  that  hour  Jesus  rejoiced  in  spirit, 
and  said,  I  thank  Thee,  0  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth." 
Christ  had  his  songs,  though  it  was  night  with  Him ;  though 
His  face  was  marred,  and  His  countenance  had  lost  the  lustre 
of  earthly  happiness,  yet  sometimes  it  was  lit  up  with  a 
matchless  splendor  of  unparalleled  satisfaction,  as  He  thought 
upon  the  recompense  of  the  reward,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
congregation  sang  His  praise  unto  God.  In  this  the  Lord 
Jesus  is  a  blessed  picture  of  His  church  on  earth.  At  this 
hour  the  church  expects  to  walk  in  sympathy  with  her  Lord 
along  a  thorny  road  ;  through  much  tribulation  she  is  forcing 
her  way  to  the  crown.  To  bear  the  cross  is  her  office,  and 
to  be  scorned  and  counted  an  alien  by  her  mother's  children 
is  her  lot ;  and  yet  the  church  has  a  deep  well  of  joy,  of 
which  none  can  drink  but  her  own  children.  There  are 
stores  of  wine,  and  oil,  and  corn,  hidden  in  the  midst  of  our 
Jerusalem,  upon  which  the  saints  of  God  are-  evermore  sus- 
tained and  nurtured  ;  and  sometimes,  as  in  our  Saviour's 
case,  we  have  our  seasons  of  intense  delight,  for  "  There  is 
a  river,  the  streams  whereof  shall  make  glad  the  city  of  our 
God."  Exiles  though  we  be,  ve  rejoice  in  our  lung  ;  yea, 
in  Him  we  exceedingly  rejoice,  while  in  His  name  we  set  up 
our  banners. 


March  25.  evening  readings.  B5 

"  The  Son  of  mail." — John  iii.  13. 

^OW  constantly  our  Master  used  the  title,  the  "  Son 
i'j  of  man  "  !  If  He  had  chosen,  He  might  always  have 
spoken  of  Himself  as  the  Son  of  God,  the  Everlast- 
ing Father,  the  Wonderful,  the  Counsellor,  the  Prince  of 
Peace ;  but  behold  the  lowliness  of  Jesus  !  He  prefers  to 
call  Himself  the  Son  of  man.  Let  us  learn  a  lesson  of  hu- 
mility from  our  Saviour ;  let  us  never  court  great  titles  nor 
proud  degrees.  There  is  here,  however,  a  far  sweeter 
thought.  Jesus  loved  manhood  so  much,  that  He  delighted 
to  honor  it ;  an<l  since  it  is  a  high  honor,  and,  indeed,  the 
greatest  dignity  of  manhood,  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  man, 
He  is  wont  to  display  this  name,  that  He  may,  as  it  were, 
hang  royal  stars  upon  the  breast  of  manhood,  and  show  forth 
the  love  of  God  to  Abraham's  seed.  Son  of  man  —  when- 
ever He  said  that  word.  He  shed  a  halo  round  the  head  of 
Adam's  children.  Yet  there  is  perhaps  a  more  precious 
thought  still.  Jesus  Christ  called  Himself  the  Son  of  man 
to  express  His  oneness  and  sympathy  with  His  people.  He 
thus  reminds  us  that  He  is  one  whom  we  may  approach  with- 
out fear.  As  a  man,  we  may  take  to  Him  all  our  griefs  and 
troubles,  for  He  knows  them  by  experience  ;  in  that  He  Him- 
self hath  suffered  as  the  "  Son  of  man,"  He  is  able  to  suoenr 
and  comfort  us.  All  hail.  Thou  blessed  Jesus  !  inasmuch  as 
Thou  art  evermore  using  the  sweet  name  which  acknowledges 
that  Thou  art  a  brother  and  a  near  kinsman,  it  is  to  us  a 
dear  token  of  Thy  grace.  Thy  humility.  Thy  love. 

'  Oh,  see  how  Jesus  trusts  Himself 

Unto  our  childish  love, 
As  thou<;Ii  by  Ilis  free  ways  with  a>, 
Our  earnestness  to  prove  ! 

His  sacred  name  a  common  word 

On  earth  He  loves  to  hear, 
There  is  no  mi^esty  in  Him 

Which  lure  may  not  come  Bear." 

• 


86  EVENING  READINGS.  Marcli  26. 

"  Whim  He  Cometh  in  the  glory  of  His  Father  with  the  holy  angels* 
Mark  viii.  38. 


m 


[]|fRF  we  have  been  partakers  with  Jesus  in  His  shame, 
we  shall  be  sharers  with  Him  in  the  lustre  which 
shall  surround  Him  when  He  appears  again  in  glory. 
Art  thou,  beloved  one,  with  Christ  Jesus  ?  Does  a  vital  union 
knit  thee  to  Him  ?  Then  thou  art  to-day  with  Him  in  His 
ehame  ;  thou  hast  taken  up  His  cross,  and  gone  with  Hira 
without  the  camp  bearing  His  reproach ;  thou  shalt  doubt- 
less be  with  Him  when  the  cross  is  exchanged  for  the  crown. 
But  judge  thyself  this  evening  ;  for  if  thou  art  not  with  Him 
in  the  regeneration,  neither  shalt  thou  be  with  Him  when  He 
shall  come  in  His  glory.  If  thou  start  back  from  the  black 
side  of  communion,  thou  shalt  not  understand  its  bright,  its 
happy  period,  when  the  King  shall  come,  and  all  His  holy 
angels  with  Him.  What !  are  angels  with  Him  f  And  yet 
He  took  not  up  angels  —  He  took  up  the  seed  of  Abraham. 
Are  the  holy  angels  with  Him  f  Come,  my  soul,  if  thou  art 
indeed  His  own  beloved,  thou  canst  not  be  far  from  Him. 
If  His  friends  and  His  neighbors  are  called  together  to  see 
His  glory,  what  thinkest  thou  if  thou  art  married  to  Him  ? 
Shalt  thou  be  distant  ?  Though  it  be  a  day  of  judgment, 
yet  thou  canst  not  be  far  from  that  heart  which,  having  ad- 
mitted angels  into  intimacy,  has  admitted  thee  into  union. 
Has  He  not  said  to  thee,  0  my  soul,  "  I  will  betroth  thee 
unto  Me  in  righteousness,  and  in  judgment,  and  in  loving- " 
kindness"  ?  Have  not  His  own  lips  said  it,  "I  am  married 
unto  thee,  and  My  delight  is  in  thee  "  ?  If  the  angels,  who 
are  but  friends  and  neighbors,  shall  be  with  Him,  it  is  abun- 
dantly certain  that  His  own  beloved  Hephzibah,  in  whom  is 
all  His  delight,  shall  be  near  to  Him,  and  sit  at  His  right 
hand  Here  is  a  morning  star  of  hope  for  thee,  of  such  ex- 
ceeding brilliancy,  that  it  may  well  light  up  the  darkeot  and 
most  desolate  experience. 


March  27.  evening  beadinos.  87 

''And  she  said,  Tr^dh,  Lord :  yet  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  which 
fall  from  their  masters'  table." —  Matthew  xv.  27. 

^HIS  woman  gained  comfort  in  her  misery  by  tliinking 
%  GREAT  THOUGHTS  OF  Chkist.  The  Master  had 
talked  about  the  children's  bread :  "  Now,"  argued 
she,  "  since  Thou  art  the  Master  of  the  table  of  grace,  I 
know  that  Thou  art  a  generous  housekeeper,  and  there  is 
sure  to  be  abundance  of  bread  on  Thy  table  ;  there  will  be 
such  an  abundance  for  the  children  that  there  will  be  crumbs 
to  throw  on  the  floor  for  the  dogs,  and  the  children  will  fare 
none  the  worse  because  the  dogs  are  fed."  She  thought  Him 
one  who  kept  so  good  a  table  that  all  that  she  needed  would 
only  be  a  crumb  in  comparison  ;  yet  remember,  what  she 
wanted  was  to  have  the  devil  cast  out  of  her  daughter.  It 
was  a  very  great  thing  to  her,  but  she  had  such  a  high  es- 
teem of  Christ,  that  she  said,  "  It  is  nothing  to  Him,  it  is 
but  a  crumb  for  Christ  to  give."  This  is  the  royal  road  to 
comfort.  Great  thoughts  of  your  sin  alone  will  drive  you  to 
despair ;  but  great  thoughts  of  Christ  will  pilot  you  into  the 
haven  of  peace.  My  sins  are  many,  but  oh  !  it  is  nothing  to 
Jesus  to  take  them  all  away.  The  weight  of  my  guilt  presses 
me  down  as  a  giant's  foot  would  crush  a  worm,  but  it  is  no 
more  thau  a  grain  of  dust  to  Him,  because  He  has  already 
borne  its  curse  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  "  It  will  be  but 
a  small  thing /or  Him  to  give  me  full  remission,  although  it 
will  be  an  infinite  blessing /or  me  to  receive  it."  The  woman 
opens  her  soul's  mouth  very  wide,  expecting  great  things  of 
Jesus,  and  He  fills  it  with  His  love.  Dear  reader,  do  the 
same.  She  confessed  what  Christ  laid  at  her  door,  but  she 
laid  fast  hold  upon  Him,  and  drew  arguments  even  out  of 
His  hard  words ;  she  believed  great  things  of  Him,  and  she 
thus  overcame  Him.  She  won  the  victory  by  believing 
IN  Him.  Her  case  is  an  instance  of  prevailing  faith;  and  if 
we  would  conquer  like  her,  we  must  imitate  her  tactics. 


88  EVENI^G  HEADINGS.  March  28, 

"  /  tcill  accept  you  tvith  your  sweet  savor."  —  Ezekiel  xx.  41. 

^^HE  merits  of  our  great  Redeemer  are  as  sweet  savor 
to  the  Most  High.  Whether  we  speak  of  the  active 
or  passive  righteousness  of  Christ,  there  is  an  equal 
fragrance.  There  was  a  sweet  savor  in  His  active  life  by 
which  He  honored  the  law  of  God,  and  made  every  precept 
to  glitte"  like  a  precious  jewel  in  the  pure  setting  of  IJis  own 
person.  Such,  too,  was  his  passive  obedience,  when  He  en- 
dured, with  unmurmuring  submission,  hunger  and  thirst,  cold 
and  nakedness,  and  at  length  sweat  great  drops  of  blood  in 
Gethsemane,  gave  His  back  to  the  smiters,  and  His  cheeks 
to  them  that  plucked  out  the  hair,  and  was  fastened  to  the 
cruel  wood,  that  He  might  suffer  the  wrath  of  God  in  our 
behalf.  These  two  things  are  sweet  before  the  Most  High  ; 
and  for  the  sake  of  His  doing  and  His  dying,  Hi.s  substitu- 
tionary sufferings  and  His  vicarious  obedience,  the  Lord  our 
God  accepts  us.  What  a  preciousness  must  there  be  in  Him 
to  overcome  our  want  of  preciousness  !  What  a  sweet  savor 
to  put  away  our  ill  savor !  What  a  cleansing  power  in  Hia 
blood  to  take  away  sin  such  as  ours  !  and  what  glory  in  His 
righteousnesss  to  make  such  unacceptable  creatures  to  be 
accepted  in  the  Beloved !  Mark,  believer,  how  sure  and  un- 
changing must  be  our  acceptance,  since  it  is  in  Him  I  Take 
care  that  you  never  doubt  your  acceptance  in  Jesus.  You 
cannot  be  accepted  without  Christ;  but  when  you  have  re-» 
ceived  His  merit,  you  cannot  be  unaccepted.  Notwithstand- 
ing all  your  doubts,  and  fears,  and  sins,  Jehovah's  gracious 
eye  never  looks  upon  you  in  anger;  though  He  sees  sin  in 
you,  in  yourself,  yet  when  He  looks  at  you  through  Christ, 
He  sees  no  sin.  You  are  always  accepted  in  Christ,  are  al- 
ways blessed  and  dear  to  the  Father's  heart.  Therefore  lift 
ap  a  song,  and  as  you  see  the  smoking  incense  of  the  merit 
of  the  Saviour  coming  up,  this  evening,  before  the  sapphirfl 
thione,  let  the  incense  of  your  praise  go  up  also. 


March  29.  evening  headings.  89 


"  /  called  Him,  bvt  He  gave  me  no  answer."  —  Canticle*  v.  6. 

P^RAYER  sometimes  tarrieth  like  a  petitioner  at  the 
gate,  until  the  King  cometh  forth  to  fill  her  bosom 
with  the  blessings  which  she  sceketh.  The  Lord, 
when  He  hath  given  great  faith,  has  been  known  to  try  it  by 
long  delayings.  He  has  suffered  His  servants'  voices  to  echo 
in  their  ears  as  from  a  brazen  sky.  They  have  knocked  at 
the  golden  gate,  but  it  has  remained  immovable,  as  though 
it  were  rusted  upon  its  hinges.  Like  Jeremiah,  they  have 
cried,  *'  Thou  hast  covered  Thyself  with  a  cloud,  that  our 
prayer  should  not  pass  through."  Thus  have  true  saints 
continued  long  in  patient  waiting  without  reply,  not  because 
their  prayers  were  not  vehement,  nor  because  they  were  un- 
accepted, but  because  so  it  pleased  Him  who  is  a  Sovereign, 
and  who  gives  according  to  His  own  pleasure.  If  it  pleases 
Him  to  bid  our  patience  exercise  itself,  shall  He  not  do  as 
He  wills  with  His  own  !  Beggars  must  not  be  choosers 
either  as  to  time,  place,  or  form.  But  we  must  be  careful 
not  to  take  delays  in  prayer  for  denials ;  God's  long-dated 
bills  will  be  punctually  honored ;  we  must  not  suffer  Satan 
to  shake  our  confidence  in  the  God  of  truth  by  pointing  to 
our  unanswered  prayers.  Unanswered  petitions  are  not 
unheard.  God  keeps  a  file  for  our  prayers — they  are  not 
blown  away  by  the  wind  ;  they  are  treasured  in  the  King's 
archives.  There  is  a  registry  in  the  court  of  heaven  wherein 
every  prayer  is  recorded.  Tried  believer,  thy  Lord  hath  a 
tear-bottle  in  which  the  costly  drops  of  sacred  grief  are  put 
away,  and  a  book  in  which  thy  hoi}'  groanings  are  numbered. 
By  and  by  thy  suit  shall  prevail.  Canst  thou  not  be  content 
to  wait  a  little  ?  Will  not  thy  Lord's  time  be  better  than 
thy  time  ?  By  and  by  He  will  comfortably  appear,  to  thy 
soul's  joy,  and  make  thee  put  away  the  sackcloth  and  ashts 
of  long  waiting,  and  pet  on  the  scarlet  and  fine  linen  of  fuli 
fruition. 

8* 


90  EVENING  READINGS.  March  30 

"*  Let  us  search  and  try  our  ways,  and  turn  again  to  the  Lord." 
Lamentations  iii.  40. 

^5P^^HE  spouse  who  fondly  loves  her  absent  husband  longs 
^L^)!^  for  his  return  ;  a  long  protracted  separation  from  her 
^^  lord  is  a  semi-death  to  her  spirit :  and  so  with  souls 
who  love  the  Saviour  much,  they  must  see  His  face,  they 
cannot  bear  that  He  should  be  away  upon  the  mountains  of 
Cether,  and  no  more  hold  communion  with  them.  A  re- 
proaching glance,  an  uplifted  finger,  will  be  grievous  to  lov- 
ing children,  who  fear  to  offend  their  tender  father,  and  are 
only  happy  in  his  smile.  Beloved,  it  was  so  once  with  you. 
A  text  of  Scripture,  a  threatening,  a  touch  of  the  rod  of  afflic- 
tion, and  you  went  to  your  Father's  feet,  crying,  "  Show  me 
wherefore  Thou  contendest  with  me."  Is  it  so  now  ?  Are 
you  content  to  follow  Jesus  afar  off?  Can  you  contemplate 
suspended  communion  with  Christ  without  alarm  ?  Can  you 
bear  to  have  your  Beloved  walking  contrary  to  you,  because 
you  walk  contrary  to  Him  ?  Have  your  sins  separated  be- 
tween you  and  your  God,  and  is  your  heart  at  rest  ?  Oh,  let 
me  affectionately  warn  you,  for  it  is  a  grievous  thing  when 
we  can  live  contentedly  without  the  present  enjoyment  of  the 
Saviour's  face.  Let  us  labor  to  feel  what  an  evil  thing  this  is 
—  little  love  to  our  own  dying  Saviour,  little  joy  in  our  pre- 
cious Jesus,  little  fellowship  with  the  Beloved  !  Hold  a  true 
Lent  in  your  souls,  while  you  sorrow  over  your  hardness  of 
heart.  Do  not  stop  at  sorrow  !  Remember  where  you  first 
received  salvation.  Go  at  once  to  the  cross.  There,  and  there 
only,  can  you  get  your  spirit  quickened.  No  matter  how 
hard,  how  insensible,  how  dead  we  may  have  become,  let  ua 
go  again  in  all  the  rags,  and  poverty,  and  defilement  of  our 
natural  condition.  Let  us  clasp  that  cross,  let  us  look  into 
those  languid  eyes,  let  us  bathe  in  that  fountain  filled  with 
blood :  this  will  bring  back  to  us  our  first  love ;  this  will  rectora 
the  simplicity  of  our  faith,  and  the  tenderness  of  our  heart  I 


March  31.  evening  readings.  91 

**And  Bizpah,  the  daughter  of  Aiah,  took  sackcloth,  and  spread  U 
for  her  upon  the  rock,  from  the  beginning  of  harvest  until  water 
dropped  upon  them  out  of  heaven,  and  sufered  neither  the  birds 
of  the  air  to  rest  on  them  by  day,  nor  the  beasts  of  the  field  by 
night."  —  2  Samuel  xxi.  10. 

MI'J^fF  the  love  of  a  woman  to  her  slain  sons  could  make 
!  ^<1  her  prolong  her  mournful  vigil  for  so  long  a  period, 
^  shall  we  weary  of  considering  the  suflPerings  of  our 
blessed  Lord  ?  She  drove  away  the  birds  of  prey,  and  shall 
not  we  chase  from  our  meditations  those  worldly  and  sinful 
thoughts  which  defile  both  our  minds  and  the  sacred  themes 
upou  which  we  are  occupied  ?  Away,  ye  birds  of  evil  wing  ' 
Leave  ye  the  sacrifice  alone  !  She  bore  the  heats  of  summer 
the  night  dews  and  the  rains,  unsheltered  and  alone.  Sleep 
was  chased  from  her  weeping  eyes:  her  heart  was  too  full 
for  slumber.  Behold  how  she  loved  her  children  !  Shall 
Rizpah  thus  endure,  and  shall  we  start  at  the  first  little  in- 
convenience or  trial  ?  Are  we  such  cowards  that  we  cannot 
bear  to  suffer  with  our  Lord  ?  She  chased  away  even  the 
wild  beasts,  with  courage  unusual  in  her  sex,  and  will  not  we 
be  ready  to  encounter  every  foe  for  Jesus'  sake  ?  These  her 
children  were  slain  by  other  hands  than  hers,  and  yet  she 
wept  and  watched  :  what  ought  we  to  do  who  have  by  our 
sins  crucified  our  Lord  ?  Our  obligations  are  boundless,  our 
love  should  be  fervent,  and  our  repentance  thorough.  To 
watch  with  Jesus  should  be  our  business,  to  protect  Hia 
honor  our  occupation,  to  abide  by  His  cross  our  solace. 
Those  ghastly  corpses  might  well  have  affrighted  Rizpah, 
especially  by  night ;  but  in  our  Lord,  at  whose  cross-foot  we 
are  sitting,  there  is  nothing  revolting,  but  everything  attrac- 
tive. Never  was  living  beauty  so  enchanting  as  a  dying 
Saviour.  Jesus,  we  will  watch  with  Thee  yet  a  while,  and 
do  Thou  graciously  unveil  Thyself  to  us  ;  then  shall  we  not 
sit  beneath  sackcloth,  but  in  a  royal  pavilion. 


92  EVENING    READINGS.  April   ^. 

"  It  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord."  —  Hosea  y.  12. 

^HIS  month  of  April  is  said  to  derive  its  name  from 
the  Latin  verb  aperio,  which  signifies  to  open,  because 
all  the  buds  and  blossoms  are  now  opening,  and  we 
have  arrived  at  the  gates  of  the  flowery  year.  Reader,  if 
you  are  yet  unsaved,  may  your  heart,  in  accord  with  the  uni- 
versal awakening  of  nature,  be  opened  to  receive  the  Lord. 
Every  blossoming  flower  warns  you  that  it  is  time  to  seek  the 
Lord  ;  be  not  out  of  tune  with  nature,  but  let  your  heart  bud 
and  bloom  with  holy  desires.  Do  you  tell  me  that  the  warm 
blood  of  youth  leaps  in  your  veins  ?  then,  I  entreat  you, 
give  your  vigor  to  the  Lord.  It  was  my  unspeakable  hap- 
piness to  be  called  in  early  youth,  and  I  could  fain  praise 
the  Lord  every  day  for  it.  Salvation  is  priceless,  let  it  come 
when  it  may  ;  but  oh,  an  early  salvation  has  a  double  value 
in  it.  Young  men  and  maidens,  since  you  may  perish  ere 
you  reach  your  prime,  "  It  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord'."  Ye 
who  feel  the  first  signs  of  decay,  quicken  your  pace  :  that 
hollow  cough,  that  hectic  flush,  are  warnings  which  you  must 
not  trifle  with  ;  with  you  it  is  indeed  time  to  seek  the  Lord. 
Did  I  observe  a  little  gray  mingled  with  your  once  luxuriant 
tresses  ?  Years  are  stealing  on  apace,  and  death  is  drawing 
nearer  by  hasty  marches ;  let  each  return  of  spring  arouse 
you  to  set  your  house  in  order.  Dear  reader,  if  you  are 
now  advanced  in  life,  let  me  entreat  and  implore  you,  de- 
lay no  longer.  There  is  a  day  of  grace  for  you  now  —  be 
thankful  for  that,  but  it  is  a  limited  season,  and  grows 
shorter  every  time  that  clock  ticks.  Here  in  this  silent 
chamber,  on  this  first  night  of  another  month,  I  speak  to 
you  as  best  I  can  by  paper  and  ink,  and  from  my  inmost 
soul,  as  God's  servant,  I  lay  before  you  this  warning,  "  It  it 
time  to  seek  the  Lord."  Slight  not  that  word  ;  it  may  be  youi 
last  call  from  destruction,  the  final  syllable  from  the  lip  of 
graco. 


Aoril  2.  EVENING    KEADING8.  93 

'  lie  shall  see  His  seed  ;  lie  shall  prolong  His  days,  and  the  pleas- 
ure of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in  His  hand."  —  Isaiah  liii.  10. 

I^IjEAD  for  the  speedy  fulfilment  of  this  promise,  all 
1^]  ye  who  love  the  Lord.    It  is  easy  work  to  pray  when 

■*^-  we  are  grounded  and  bottomed,  as  to  our  desires, 
upon  Grod's  own  promise.  How  can  He  that  gave  the  word 
refuse  to  keep  it  ?  Immutable  veracity  cannot  demean  it- 
self by  a  lie,  and  eternal  faithfulness  cannot  degrade  itself 
by  neglect.  God  must  bless  His  Son,  His  covenant  binds 
Him  to  it.  That  which  the  Spirit  prompts  us  to  ask  for  Je- 
sus, is  that  which  God  decrees  to  give  Him.  Whenever  you 
are  praying  for  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  let  your  eyes  behold 
the  dawning  of  the  blessed  day  which  draweth  near,  when 
the  Crucified  shall  receive  His  coronation  in  the  place  where 
men  rejected  Him.  Courage,  you  that  prayerfully  work  and 
toil  for  Christ  with  success  of  the  very  smallest  kind,  it  shall 
not  be  so  always  ;  better  times  are  before  you.  Your  eyes 
cannot  see  the  blissful  future  :  borrow  the  telescope  of  faith  ; 
wipe  the  misty  breath  of  your  doubts  from  the  glass  ;  look 
through  it  and  behold  the  coming  glory.  Reader,  let  us  a.sk, 
do  you  make  this  your  constant  prayer  ?  Remember  that  the 
same  Christ  who  tells  us  to  say,  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread,"  had  first  given  us  this  petition,  "  Hallowed  be  Thy 
name  ;  Thy  kingdom  come  ;  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as  it 
is  in  heaven."  Let  not  your  prayers  be  all  concerning  your 
own  sins,  your  own  wants,  your  own  imperfections,  your  own 
trials,  but  let  them  climb  the  starry  ladder,  and  get  up  to 
Christ  Himself,  and  then,  as  you  draw  nigh  to  the  blood- 
bcsprinklcd  mercy-seat,  offer  this  prayer  continually,  "  Lord, 
extend  the  kingdom  of  Thy  dear  Son."  Such  a  petition, 
fervently  presented,  will  elevate  the  spirit  of  all  your  devo- 
tions. Mind  that  you  prove  the  sincerity  of  your  prayer  Ly 
laboring  to  promote  the  Lord's  glory. 


94  ETENING    KEADITTGS.  April  8. 

"  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ;  we  have  Untied  every  one  to 
his  own  ti'ay  ;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the  iniquity  of  ua 
all."  —  Isaiah  liii.  6. 

9ERE  is  a  confession  of  sin  common  to  all  the  elect 

i 


people  of  God.  They  have  all  fallen,  and  there- 
^^^"^^  fore,  in  common  chorus,  they  all  say,  from  the  first 
^ho  entered  heaven  to  the  last  who  shall  enter  there,  "  All 
Tve  like  sheep  have  gone  astray."  The  confession,  while 
thus  unanimous,  is  also  special  and  particular :  "  We  have 
turned  every  one  to  his  own  way."  There  js  a  peculiar  sin- 
fulness about  every  one  of  the  individuals  ;  all  are  sinful, 
bat  each  one  with  some  special  aggravation  not  found  in  hiii 
ftllow.  It  is  the  mark  of  genuine  repentance,  that  while  it 
naturally  associates  itself  with  other  penitents,  it  also  takes 
up  a  position  of  loneliness.  "  We  have  turned  every  one  to 
hi&  own  way,"  is  a  confession  that  each  man  had  sinned 
against  light  peculiar  to  himself,  or  sinned  with  an  aggrava- 
tion which  he  could  not  perceive  in  others.  This  confession 
is  unreserved  ;  there  is  not  a  word  to  detract  from  its  force, 
nor  a  syllable  by  way  of  excuse.  The  confession  is  a  giving 
up  of  all  pleas  of  self-righteousness.  It  is  the  declaration 
of  men  who  are  consciously  guilty — guilty  with  aggrava- 
tions, guilty  without  excuse  :  they  stand  with  their  weapons 
of  rebellion  broken  in  pieces,  and  cry,  "  All  we  like  sheep 
have  gone  astray  ;  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own 
way.'  Yet  we  hear  no  dolorous  wailings  attending  this  con- 
fession of  sin  ;  for  the  next  sentence  makes  it  almost  a  song, 
"  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."  It  is 
the  most  grievous  sentence  of  the  three,  but  it  overflows 
with  comfort.  Strange  is  it  that  where  misery  was  con;jen- 
trated,  mercy  reigned  ;  where  sorrow  reached  her  climax, 
weary  souls  find  rest.  The  Saviour  bruised  is  the  healing  of 
bruised  hearts.  See  how  the  lowliest  penitence  gives  place  to 
assured  confidence  through  simply  gazing  at  Christ  on  th« 
cross ! 


April  4.  EVENING    TIEAPING8.  9b 

"  Come  ye,  and  let  us  go  tip  to  the  mountain  of  tJie  Lord." 
Isaitih  ii.  3. 

[iSfsT  is  exceedingly  beneficial  to  our  souls  to  mount  above 
|(^  this  present  evil  world  to  something  nobler  and  bet- 
"'^  ter.  The  cares  of  this  world,  and  the  deceitfulness 
of  riches,  are  apt  to  choke  everything  good  within  us,  and 
we  grow  fretful,  desponding,  perhaps  proud  and  carnal.  It 
is  well  for  us  to  cut  down  these  thorns  and  briers,  for  heav- 
enly seed  sown  among  them  is  not  likely  to  yield  a  harvest ; 
and  where  shall  y.'c  find  a  better  sickle  with  which  to  cut 
them  down  than  communion  with  God  and  the  things  of  the 
kingdom  ?  In  the  valleys  of  Switzerland,  many  of  the  in- 
habitants are  deformed,  and  all  wear  a  sickly  appearance, 
for  the  atmosphere  is  charged  with  miasma,  and  is  close  and 
stagnant ;  but  up  yonder,  on  the  mountain,  you  find  a  hardy 
race,  who  breathe  the  clear  fresh  air  as  it  blows  from  the 
virgin  snows  of  tlie  Alpine  summits.  It  would  be  well  if 
the  dwellers  in  the  valley  could  frequently  leave  their  abodes 
among  the  marshes  and  the  fever  mists,  and  inhale  the  bra- 
cing element  upon  the  hills.  It  is  to  such  an  exploit  of  climb- 
ing that  I  invite  you  this  evening.  May  the  Spirit  of  God 
assist  us  to  leave  the  mists  of  fear  and  the  fevers  of  anxiety, 
and  all  the  ills  which  gather  in  this  valley  of  earth,  and  to 
ascend  the  mountains  of  anticipated  joy  and  blessedness. 
May  God  the  Holy  Spirit  cut  the  cords  that  keep  us  here 
below,  and  assist  us  to  mount !  We  sit  too  often  like  chained 
eagles  fastened  to  the  rock,  only  that,  unlike  the  eagle,  we 
begin  to  love  our  chain,  and  would,  perhaps,  if  it  came  really 
to  the  test,  be  loath  to  have  it  snapped.  JMay  God  now  grant 
us  grace,  if  we  cannot  escape  from  the  chain  as  to  our  flesh, 
yet  to  do  so  as  to  our  spirits  ;  and  leaving  the  body,  like  a 
servant,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  may  our  soul,  like  Abraham^ 
attain  the  top  of  the  mountain,  there  to  indulge  in  commun 
ion  with  the  Most  High. 


1 


96  EVENING    KEADINGS.  April  5, 

"  Before  honor  is  humility."  —  Proverbs  xv.  33. 

lUMILIATION  of  soul  always  brings  a  positive  hlese- 
\j  ing  ivith  it.  If  we  empty  our  hearts  of  self,  G-od 
will  fill  them  with  His  love.  He  who  desires  close 
communion  with  Christ,  should  remember  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  "  To  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor 
and  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth  at  My  word."  Stoop 
if  you  would  climb  to  heaven.  Do  we  not  say  of  Jesus, 
"  He  descended  that  He  might  ascend  ? "  so  must  you.  You 
must  grow  downwards,  that  you  may  grow  upwards  ;  fo'*  the 
sweetest  fellowship  with  heaven  is  to  be  had  by  humble  souls, 
and  by  them  alone.  God  will  deny  no  blessing  to  a  thor- 
oughly humbled  spirit.  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit : 
for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  with  all  its  riches  and 
treasures.  The  whole  exchequer  of  God  shall  be  made  over 
by  deed  of  gift  to  the  soul  which  is  humble  enough  to  be 
able  to  receive  it  without  growing  proud  because  of  it.  God 
blesses  us  all  up  to  the  full  measure  and  extremity  of  what 
it  is  safe  for  Him  to  do.  If  you  do  not  get  a  blessing,  it  is 
because  it  is  not  safe  for  you  to  have  one.  If  our  heavenly 
Father  were  to  let  your  unhumbled  spirit  win  a  victory  in 
His  holy  war,  you  would  pilfer  the  crown  for  yourself,  and 
meeting  with  a  fresh  enemy  you  would  fall  a  victim  ;  so  that 
you  are  kept  low  for  your  own  safety.  When  a  man  is  sin- 
cerely humble,  and  never  ventures  to  touch  so  much  as  a 
grain  of  the  praise,  there  is  scarcely  any  limit  to  what  God 
will  do  for  him.  Humility  makes  us  ready  to  be  blessed  by 
the  God  of  all  grace,  and  fits  us  to  deal  efficiently  with  our 
fellow-men.  True  humility  is  a  flower  which  will  adorn  any 
garden.  This  is  a  sauce  with  which  you  may  season  every 
dish  of  life,  and  you  will  find  an  improvement  in  every 
case.  Whether  it  be  prayer  or  praise,  whether  it  be  work 
or  suffering,  the  genuine  salt  of  humility  cannot  be  used 
in  excess. 


April  6.  EVENING    READINGS.        ^  9? 

"  In  the  name  of  the  Lord  I  will  destroy  them."  —  Psalm  cxviii.  12. 

?TTR  Lord  Jesus,  by  His  death,  did  not  purchase  a  right 
to  a  part  of  us  only,  but  to  the  entire  man.  He  con- 
templated in  His  passion  the  sanctification  of  ua 
wholly,  spirit,  soul,  and  body  ;  that  in  this  triple  kingdom  He 
Himself  might  reign  supreme  without  a  rival.  It  is  the  busi- 
ness of  the  new-born  nature  which  God  has  given  to  the  re- 
generate to  assert  the  rights  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  My 
soul,  so  far  as  thou  art  a  child  of  God,  thou  must  conquer  all 
the  rest  of  thyself  which  yet  remains  unblest ;  thou  must  sub- 
due all  thy  powers  and  passions  to  the  silver  sceptre  of  J*. 
BUS*  gracious  reign,  and  thou  must  never  be  satisfied  till  Ho 
who  is  King  by  purchase  becomes  also  King  by  gracious  cor- 
onation, and  reigns  in  thee  supreme.  Seeing,  then,  that  sin 
has  no  right  to  any  part  of  us,  we  go  about  a  good  and  law- 
ful warfare  when  we  seek,  in  the  name  of  God,  to  drive  it 
out.  0  my  body,  thou  art  a  member  of  Christ :  shall  I  toler- 
ate thy  subjection  to  the  prince  of  darkness  ?  0  my  soul, 
Christ  has  suffered  for  thy  sins,  and  redeemed  thee  with  His 
most  precious  blood :  shall  I  suffer  thy  memory  to  become  a 
storehouse  of  evil,  or  thy  passions  to  be  firebrands  of  in- 
iquity ?  Shall  I  surrender  my  judgment  to  be  perverted  by 
error,  or  my  will  to  be  led  in  fetters  of  iniquity  ?  No,  my 
soul,  thou  art  Christ's,  and  sin  hath  no  right  to  thee. 

Be  courageous  concerning  this,  0  Christian  !  be  not  dis- 
pirited, as  though  your  spiritual  enemies  could  never  be  de- 
stroyed. You  are  able  to  overcome  them  —  not  in  your  own 
strength  —  the  weakest  of  them  would  be  too  much  for  you 
in  that ;  but  you  can  and  shall  overcome  them  through  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb.  Do  not  ask,  "  How  shall  I  dispossess 
them,  for  they  are  greater  and  mightier  than  I  ?  "  but  go  to 
the  strong  for  strength,  wait  humbly  upon  God,  and  the 
mighty  God  of  Jacob  will  surely  come  to  the  rescue,  and 
you  shall  sing  of  victory  through  His  grace. 
9 


98  EVENING    READINGS.  April  7. 


"  Deliver  me  from  bloodguiltiness,  0  God,  Thou  God  of  my  sal' 
vaiion ;  and  my  tongue  shall  sing  aloud  of  Thy  righteous' 
ness."  —  Psalm  li.  14. 

^^^N  this  SOLEMN  CONFESSION,  it  is  pleasing  to  observe 
^ i  ^  that  David  plainly  names  his  sin.  He  does  not  call 
y/^r\^  it  manslaughter,  nor  speak  of  it  as  an  imprudence  by 
which  an  unfortunate  accident  occurred  to  a  worthy  man,  but 
he  calls  it  by  its  true  name,  bloodguiltiness.  He  did  not 
actually  kill  the  husband  of  Bathsheba  ;  but  still  it  was  planned 
in  David's  heart  that  Uriah  should  be  slain,  and  he  was  be- 
fore the  Lord  his  murderer.  Learn  in  confession  to  be  hon- 
est with  God.  Do  not  give  fair  names  to  foul  sins ;  call 
them  what  you  will,  they  will  smell  no  sweeter.  What  God 
sees  them  to  be,  that  do  you  labor  to  feel  them  to  be ;  and 
with  all  openness  of  heart  acknowledge  their  real  character. 
Observe,  that  David  was  evidently  oppressed  with  the  hei- 
nousness  of  his  sin.  It  is  easy  to  use  words,  but  it  is  difficult 
to  feel  their  meaning.  The  fifty-first  Psalm  is  the  photograph 
of  a  contrite  spirit.  Let  us  seek  after  the  like  brokenness  of 
heart ;  for  however  excellent  our  words  may  be,  if  our  heart 
is  not  conscious  of  the  hell-deservingness  of  sin,  we  cannot 
expect  to  find  forgiveness. 

Our  text  has  in  it  an  earnest  peayer  —  it  is  addressed 
to  the  God  oi  salvation.  It  is  His  prerogative  to  forgive  ;  it 
'8  His  very  name  and  office  to  save  those  who  seek  His  face, 
better  still,  the  text  calls  Him  the  God  of  my  salvation.  Yes, 
blessed  be  His  name,  while  I  am  yet  going  to  Him  through 
Jesus'  blood,  I  can  rejoice  in  the  God  of  my  salvation. 

The  psalmist  ends  with  a  commendable  vow  :  if  God  will 
deliver  him  he  will  sing,  nay,  more,  he  will  "  sing  aloud." 
Who  can  sing  in  any  other  style  of  such  a  mercy  as  this  ! 
But  note  the  subject  of  the  song  —  "  Thy  RionTEOtTSNfiss." 
We  must  sing  of  the  finished  work  of  a  precious  Saviour ; 
and  he  who  knows  most  of  forgiving  love  will  sing  thi 
luudest. 


April  8.  EVENING    READINGS.  99 

"  /  voillfear  no  evil :  for  thou  art  with  me."  —  Psalm  xxiii.  4. 


CtEHOLD,  how  independent  of  outward  circumstances 
jS'i'  the  Holy  Ghost  can  make  the  Christian  !  What  a 
bright  light  may  shine  within  us  when  it  is  all  dark 
without !  How  firm,  how  happy,  how  calm,  how  peaceful  we 
may  be,  when  the  world  shakes  to  and  fro,  and  the  pillars  of 
the  earth  are  removed  !  Even  death  itself,  with  all  its  terri- 
ble influences,  has  no  power  to  suspend  the  music  of  a  Chris- 
tian's lieart,  but  rather  makes  that  music  become  more  sweet, 
more  clear,  more  heavenly,  till  the  last  kind  act  which  death 
can  do  is  to  let  the  earthly  strain  melt  into  the  heavenly 
chorus,  the  temporal  joy  into  the  eternal  bliss  !  Let  us  liavo 
confidence,  then,  in  the  blessed  Spirit's  power  to  comfort  us. 
Dear  reader,  are  you  looking  forward  to  poverty  ?  Fear  not ; 
the  divine  Spirit  can  give  you,  in  your  want,  a  greater  plenty 
than  the  rich  have  in  their  abundance.  You  know  not  what 
joys  may  be  stored  up  for  you  in  the  cottage  around  which 
grace  will  plant  the  roses  of  content.  Are  you  conscious  of 
a  growing  failure  of  your  bodily  powers?  Do  you  expect  to 
suffer  long  nights  of  languishing  and  days  of  pain  ?  Oh, 
be  not  sad  I  That  bed  may  become  a  throne  to  you.  You 
little  know  how  every  pang  that  shoots  through  your  body 
may  be  a  refining  fire  to  consume  your  dross  —  a  beam  of 
glory  to  light  up  the  secret  parts  of  yoi^r  soul.  Are  the  eyes 
growing  dim  ?  Jesus  will  be  your  light.  Do  the  ears  fail 
you  ?  Jesus'  name  will  be  your  soul's  b-^st  music,  and  His 
person  your  dear  delight.  Socrates  used  to  say,  "  Philoso-. 
phers  can  be  happy  without  music ; "  and  Christians  can  be 
happier  than  philosophers  when  all  outward  causes  of  re- 
joicing are  withdrawn.  In  thee,  my  God,  my  heart  shall 
triumph,  come  wjiat  may  of  ills  without!  By  thy  power.  0 
blessed  Spirit,  my  heart  shall  bo  exceeding  glad,  though  all 
things  should  fail  me  here  below. 


100  EVENING    READINGS.  April  9. 

"  Thy  gentleness  hath  made  me  great."  —  Psalm  xviii.  35 

"SHE  words  are  capable  of  being  translated,  "  Thy  good- 
ness hath  made  me  great."  David  gratefully  ascribed 
all  his  greatness  not  to  his  own  goodness,  but  to  the 
goodness  of  God.  "  Thy  providence,^''  is  another  reading ; 
and  providence  is  nothing  more  than  goodness  in  action. 
Goodness  is  the  bud  of  which  providence  is  the  flower,  or 
goodness  is  the  seed  of  which  providence  is  the  harvest. 
Some  render  it,  "  Thy  help"  which  is  but  another  word  for 
providence  ;  providence  being  the  firm  ally  of  the  saints,  aid- 
ing them  in  the  service  of  their  Lord.  Or  again,  "  Thy  humility 
bath  made  mo  great."  "  Thy  condescension,'^  may,  perhaps, 
serve  as  a  comprehensive  reading,  combining  the  ideas  men- 
tioned, including  that  of  humility.  It  is  God's  making  Him- 
self little  which  is  the  cause  of  our  being  made  great.  We 
are  so  little,  that  if  God  should  manifest  His  greatness  with- 
out condescension,  we  should  be  trampled  under  His  feet ; 
but  God,  who  must  stoop  to  view  the  skies,  and  bow  to  see 
what  angels  do,  turns  His  eye  yet  lower,  and  looks  to  the 
lowly  and  contrite,  and  makes  them  great.  There  are  yet  other 
readings,  as  for  instance,  the  Septuagint,  which  reads,  "  Thy 
discipline"  —  Thy  fatherly  correction  —  "hath  made  me 
great ;  "  while  the  Chaldee  paraphrase  reads,  "  Thy  word  hath 
increased  me."  Still  the  idea  is  the  same.  David  ascribes 
all  his  own  greatness  to  the  condescending  goodness  of  his 
Father  in  heaven.  May  this  sentiment  be  echoed  in  our 
hearts  this  evening  while  we  cast  our  crowns  at  Jesus'  feet, 
and  cry,  "  Thy  gentleness  hath  made  me  great."  How  mar- 
vellous has  been  our  experience  of  God's  gentleness  !  How 
gentle  have  been  His  corrections  !  How  gentle  His  forbear- 
ance !  How  gentle  His  teachings  !  How  gentle  His  draw- 
ings !  Meditate  upon  this  theme,  0  believer.  Let  gratitude 
be  awakened  ;  let  humility  be  deepened  ;  let  love  be  quick' 
ened  ere  thou  fallest  asleep'to-night. 


April  10.  EVENING    READINGS.  101 

"  For  there  itood  by  me  this  night  the  angel  of  Ood." 
Acts  xxvli.  23. 

^^I^^EMPEST  and  long  darkness,  coupled  with  imminent 
■"I  r  7^  risk  of  shipwreck,  had  brought  the  crew  of  the  vessel 
'^^^^'^  into  a  sad  case  ;  one  man  alone  among  them  remained 
perfectly  calm,  and  by  his  word  the  rest  were  reassured. 
Paul  was  the  only  man  who  had  heart  enough  to  say,  "  Sirs, 
be  of  good  cheer."  There  were  veteran  Roman  legionaries 
on  board,  and  brave  old  mariners,  and  yet  their  poor  Jewish 
prisoner  had  more  spirit  than  they  all.  He  had  a  secret 
Friend  who  kept  his  courage  up.  The  Lord  Jesus  despatched 
a  heavenly  messenger  to  whisper  words  of  consolation  in  the 
ear  of  His  faithful  servant ;  therefore  he  wore  a  shininjr  coun- 
tenance,  and  spake  like  a  man  at  ease.  If  we  fear  the  Lord, 
we  may  look  for  tiinely  interpositions  when  our  case  is  at  ita 
worst.  Angels  are  not  kept  from  us  by  storms,  or  hindered 
by  darkness.  Seraphs  think  it  no  humiliation  to  visit  the 
poorest  of  the  heavenly  family.  If  angels'  visits  are  few  and 
far  between  at  ordinary  times,  they  shall  be  frequent  in  our 
nights  of  tempest  and  tossing.  Friends  may  drop  from  us 
when  we  are  under  pressure,  but  our  intercourse  with  the  in- 
habitants of  the  angelic  world  shall  be  more  abundant ;  and 
in  the  strength  of  love-words,  brought  to  us  from  the  throne 
by  the  way  of  Jacob's  ladder,  we  shall  be  strong  to  do  ex- 
ploits. Dear  reader,  is  this  an  hour  of  distress  with  you  ? 
then  ask  for  peculiar  help.  Jesus  is  the  angel  of  the  cov- 
enant, and  if  His  presence  be  now  earnestly  sought,  it  will 
not  be  denied.  What  that  presence  brings  in  heart-cheer 
those  remember  who,  like  Paul,  have  had  the  angel  of  God 
standing  by  them  in  a  night  of  storm,  when  anchors  would 
BO  longer  hold,  and  rorks  wer3  nigh. 

"  O  anfjcl  of  my  God,  be  near; 
Amid  the  liarkiiess  hush  my  fear  : 
Loud  roars  the  w.ld,  tctnpeutuoua  sea; 
Thy  presence,  Loi  i,  shall  comfort  me." 
9* 


102  EVEifING    PEADTNGS.  April  11. 

"  Look  upon  mine  affliction  and  my  pain  ;  and  forgive  all  my  sins* 
Psalm  XXV.  18. 

^?1[^T  is  well  for  us  when  prayers  about  our  sorrows  arc 
c^l  w  linked  with  pleas  concerning  our  sins  — when,  being 
V/^^i^hi  uu^er  God's  hand,  we  are  not  wholly  taken  up  with 
our  pain,  but  remember  our  offences  against  God.  It  is  well, 
also,  to  take  both  sorrow  and  sin  to  the  same  place.  It  was 
to  God  that  David  carried  his  sorrow :  it  was  to  God  that 
David  confessed  his  sin.  Observe,  then,  we  must  take  our 
sorrows  to  God.  Even  your  little  sorrows  you  may  roll  upon 
God,  for  He  counteth  the  hairs  of  your  head  ;  and  your  great 
sorrows  you  may  commit  to  Him,  for  He  holdeth  the  ocean 
in  tlie  hollow  of  His  hand.  Go  to  Him,  whatever  your  pres- 
ent trouble  may  be,  and  you  shall  find  Him  able  and  willing 
to  relieve  you.  But  toe  must  take  our  sins' to  God  too.  We 
must  carry  them  to  the  cross,  that  the  blood  may  fall  upon 
them,  to  purge  away  their  guilt,  and  to  destroy  their  defiling 
power. 

The  special  lesson  of  the  text  is  this  :  That  we  are  to  go 
to  the  Lord  with  sorrows  and  with  sins  in  the  right  spirit.  Note 
that  all  David  asks  concerning  his  sorrow  is,  "  Look  upon 
mine  affliction  and  my  pain  ;  "  but  the  next  petition  is  vastly 
more  express,  definite,  decided,  plain  — "  Forgive  all  my 
sins."  Many  sufferers  would  have  put  it,  "  Remove  my  af- 
fliction and  my  pain,  and  look  at  my  sins."  But  David  does 
not  say  so  ;  he  cries,  "  Lord,  as  for  my  aflliction  and  my  pain, 
I  will  not  dictate  to  thy  wisdom.  Lord,  look  at  them ;  I  will 
leave  them  to  Thee ;  I  should  be  glad  to  have  my  pain  re-, 
moved,  but  do  as  Thou  wilt ;  but  as  for  my  sins.  Lord,  I  know 
what  I  want  with  them  ;  I  must  have  them  forgiven ;  I  can- 
not endure  to  lie  under  their  curse  for  a  moment."  A  Chris- 
tian counts  sorrow  lighter  in  the  scale  than  sin  ;  he  can  bear 
that  his  troubles  should  continue,  but  lie  cannot  support  the 
burden  of  his  transgressions. 


April  12.  EVENING    READINGS.  103 

"  Tlie  king's  garden".  — ^  Nehemiah  iii,  15. 

^^PI^ENTION  of  the  king's  garden  by  Nehemiah  brings 
to  mind  the  paradise  which  the  King  of  kings  pre- 
pared for  Adam.  Sin  has  utterly  ruined  that  fair 
abode  of  all  delights,  and  driven  forth  the  children  ©f  men 
to  till  the  ground,  which  yields  thorns  and  briers  unto  them. 
My  soul,  remember  the  fall,  for  it  was  thy  fall.  Weep  much, 
because  the  Lord  of  love  was  so  shamefully  ill-treated  by  the 
head  of  the  human  race,  of  which  thou  art  a  member,  as  un- 
deserving as  any.  Behold  how  dragons  and  demons  dwell 
on  this  fair  earth,  which  once  was  a  garden  of  delights. 

See  yonder  another  King's  garden,  which  the  King  waters 
with  His  bloody  sweat  —  Gcthseniane,  whose  bitter  herbs  are 
sweeter  far  to  renewed  souls  than  even  Eden's  luscious  fruits. 
There  *he  mischief  of  the  serpent  in  the  first  garden  was 
undone  ;  there  the  curse  is^as  lifted  from  earth,  and  borne 
by  the  woman's  promised  seed.  My  soul,  bethink  thee 
much  of  the  agony  and  the  passion  ;  resort  to  the  garden 
of  the  olive-press,  and  view  thy  great  Redeemer  rescuing 
thee  from  thy  lost  estate.  This  is  the  garden  of  gardens 
indeed,  wherein  the  soul  may  see  the  guilt  of  sin  and  the 
power  of  love,  two  sights  which  surpass  all  others. 

Is  there  no  other  King's  garden  ?  Yes,  my  heart,  thou 
art,  or  shouldst  be  such.  How  do  the  flowers  flourish  ?  Do 
any  choice  fruits  appear  ?  Does  the  King  walk  within,  and 
r<»st  in  the  bowers  of  my  spirit  ?  Let  me  see  that  the  plants 
are  trimmed  and  watered,  and  the  mischievous  foxes  hunted 
out.  Come,  Lord,  and  let  the  heavenly  wind  blow  at  Thy 
coming,  that  the  spices  of  Thy  garden  may  flow  abroad. 
Nor  must  I  forget  the  King's  garden  of  the  church.  0 
Lord,  cend  prosperity  unto  it.  Rebuild  her  walls,  nourish 
her  plants,  ripen  her  fruits,  aud  from  the  huge  wilderness, 
reclaim  the  barren  waste,  and  n-ake  thereof  '*  a  King's 
garden ," 


104  EVENING    READINGS.  April    13 

"  And  he  shall  put  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the  bumt-ojfering 
and  it  shall  be  accepted  for  him  to  make  atonement  for  him."  — 
Leviticus  i.  4. 


^^TJH  Lord's  being  made  "  sin  for  us  "  is  set  forth  here 
^/k  by  the  very  significant  transfer  of  sin  to  the  bullock, 
which  was  made  by  the  elders  of  the  people.  The 
laying  of  the  hand  was  not  a  mere  touch  of  contact,  for  iu 
some  other  places  of  Scripture  the  original  word  has  the 
meaning  of  leaning  heavily,  as  in  the  expression,  "  Thy 
wrath  lieth  hard  upon  me."  Psalm  Ixxxviii.  7.  Surely 
this  is  the  very  essence  and  nature  of  faith,  which  doth  not 
only  bring  us  into  contact  with  the  great  Substitute,  but 
teaches  us  to  lean  upon  Him  with  all  the  burden  of  our  guilt. 
Jehovah  made  to  meet  upon  the  head  of  the  Substitute  all 
the  offences  of  His  covenant  people,  but  each  one  of  the 
chosen  is  brought  personally  to  ratify  this  solemn  covenant 
act,  when  by  grace  he  is  enabled  by  faith  to  lay  his  hand 
upon  the  head  of  the  "  Lamb  slain  from  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world."  Believer,  do  you  remember  that  rap- 
turous day  when  you  first  realized  pardon  through  Jesus  the 
sin-bearer  ?  Can  you  not  make  glad  confession,  and  join 
with  the  writer  in  saying,  "  My  soul  recalls  her  day  of  deliv- 
erance with  delight.  Laden  with  guilt  and  full  of  fears,  I 
saw  my  Saviour  as  my  Substitute,  and  I  laid  my  hand  upon 
Him  ;  oh  !  how  timidly  at  first,  but  courage  grew,  and  confi- 
dence was  confirmed,  until  I  leaned  ray  soul  entirely  upon 
Him  ;  and  now  it  is  my  unceasing  joy  to  know  that  my  sius 
are  no  longer  imputed  to  me,  but  laid  on  Him,  and  like  the 
debts  of  the  wounded  traveller,  Jesus,  like  the  good  Samari- 
tan, has  said  of  all  my  future  sinfulness,  '  Set  that  to  My  ac- 
count ' "  ?  Blessed  discovery  !  Eternal  solace  of  a  gratefuJ 
heart ! 

"  My  numerous  sins  transferred  to  Ilim, 
Sliall  never  more  be  found, 
Lost  iu  His  blood's  atouiug  stream, 
Where  every  crime  is  drowned  !  " 


A.Dnl  14.  EVENING    READINGS.  lOd 


^ 


'  Sax  ye  to  the  righteous,  that  it  shall  be  well  with  him." 
Isaiuh  iii.  10. 

sT  is  well  with  the  righteous  always.  If  it  had  said 
||(^  *♦  Say  ye  to  the  righteous,  that  it  is  well  with  him  in 
-"^  his  prosperity,"  we  must  have  been  thankful  for  so 
great  a  boon,  for  prosperity  is  an  hour  of  peril,  and  it  is  a 
gift  from  heaven  to  be  secured  from  its  snares  :  or  if  it  h-ad 
been  written,  "  It  is  well  with  him  when  under  persecution," 
we  must  have  been  thankful  for  so  sustaining  an  assurance, 
for  persecution  is  hard  to  bear ;  but  when  no  time  is  men- 
tioned, all  time  is  included.  God's  "  shalls"  must  be  under- 
stood always  in  their  largest  sense.  From  the  beginning  of 
the  year  to  the  end  of  the  year,  from  the  first  gathering  of 
evening  shadows  until  the  day-star  shines,  in  all  conditions, 
and  under  all  circumstances,  it  shall  be  well  with  the  right- 
eous. It  is  so  well  with  him  that  we  could  not  imagine  it  to 
be  better,  for  he  is  well  fed,  he  feeds  upon  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  Jesus  ;  he  is  well  clothed,  he  wears  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness of  Christ ;  he  is  well  housed,  he  dwells  in  God  ;  he  is 
well  married,  his  soul  is  knit  in  bonds  of  marriage  union  to 
Christ ;  he  is  well  provided  for,  for  the  Lord  is  his  Shepherd  ; 
he  is  well  endowed,  for  heaven  is  his  inheritance.  It  is  well 
with  the  righteous  —  well  upon  divine  authority  ;  the  mouth 
of  God  speaks  the  comforting  assurance.  0  beloved,  if  God 
declares  that  all  is  well,  ten  thousand  devils  may  declare  it 
to  be  ill,  but  we  laugh  them  all  to  scorn.  Blessed  be  God 
for  a  faith  which  enables  us  to-  believe  God  when  the  crea- 
tures contradict  Ilim.  It  is,  says  the  word,  at  all  times  well 
with  thee,  thou  righteous  one  ;  then,  beloved,  if  thou  canst 
not  see  it,  let  God's  word  .<:tand  thee  in  stead  of  sight ;  yea, 
believe  it  on  diviue  authority  more  confidently  than  if  thiue 
eyes  and  thy  feelings  told  it  to  thee.  Whom  God  blesses  is 
blest  indeed,  and  what  His  lip  declares  is  truth  most  sura 
and  steadfast. 


106  ETENING    READINGS.  April  15 

"Lift  them  up  forever ."  —  Psalm  xxviii.  9. 


i2i.<* 


SOD'S  people  need  lifting  up.  They  are  very  heavy 
by  nature.  They  have  no  wings,  or,  if  they  have, 
they  are  like  the  dove  of  old  which  lay  among 
the  pots  ;  and  they  need  divine  grace  to  make  them  mount 
on  wings  covered  with  silver,  and  with  feathers  of  yellow 
gold.  By  nature  sparks  fly  upward,  but  the  sinful  souls  of 
men  fall  downward.  0  Lord,  "  lift  them  up  forever  ! " 
David  himself  said,  "  Unto  Thee,  0  God,  do  I  lift  up  my 
soul,"  and  he  here  feels  the  necessity  that  other  men's  souls 
should  be  lifted  up  as  well  as  his  own.  When  you  ask  this 
blessing  for  yourself,  forget  not  to  seek  it  for  others  also. 
Tliere  are  three  ways  in  which  God's  people  require  to  be 
lifted  up.  They  require  to  be  elevated  in  character.  Lift 
them  up,  0  Lord  ;  do  not  sufi"er  Thy  people  to  be  like  the 
world's  people  !  The  world  lieth  in  the  wicked  one  ;  lift 
them  out  of  it !  The  world's  people  are  looking  after  silver 
and  gold,  seeking  their  own  pleasures,  and  the  gratification 
of  their  lusts  ;  but.  Lord,  lift  Thy  people  up  above  all  this  ; 
keep  them  from  being  "  muck-rakers,"  as  John  Bunyan  calls 
the  man  who  was  always  scraping  after  gold  !  Set  thou  their 
hearts  upon  their  risen  Lord  and  the  heavenly  heritage  ! 
Moreover,  believers  need  to  be  prospered  in  conflict.  In  the 
battle,  if  they  seem  to  fall,  0  Lord,  be  pleased  to  give  them 
the  victory.  If  the  foot  of  the  foe  be  upon  their  necks  for 
a  moment,  help  them  to  grasp  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  and 
eventually  to  win  the  battle.  Lord,  lift  up  Thy  children's 
spirits  in  the  day  of  conflict ;  let  them  not  sit  in  the  dust, 
mourning  forever.  Suff'er  not  the  adversary  to  vex  them  sore, 
and  make  them  fret;  but  if  they  have  been,  like  Hannah, 
persecuted,  let  them  sing  of  the  mercy  of  a  delivering  God. 
We  may  also  ask  our  Lord  to  lift  them  up  at  the  last  I  Lift 
them  up  by  taking  them  home  ;  lift  their  bodies  from  the  tomb, 
and  raise  their  souls  to  Thine  eternal  kingdom  in  glory. 


April  16.  EVENING    READINGS.  107 

"  And  Ids  hands  were  steady  until  the  going  down  of  the  sun." 
Exodus  xvii.  12. 

^.  iO  mighty  was  the  prayer  of  Moses,  that  all  depended 
^)  upon  it.  The  petitions  of  Moses  discomfited  the 
enemy  more  than  the  fighting  of  Joshua.  Yet,  both 
were  needed.  So,  in  the  soul's  conflict,  force  and  fervor, 
decision  and  devotion,  valor  and  vehemence,  must  join  their 
forces,  and  all  will  be  well.  You  must  wrestle  with  your 
Bin,  but  the  major  part  of  the  wrestling  must  be  done  alone 
in  private  with  God.  Prayer,  like  Moses,  holds  up  the  token 
of  the  covenant  before  the  Lord.  The  rod  was  the  emblem 
of  God's  working  with  Moses,  the  symbol  of  God's  govern- 
ment in  Israel.  Learn,  0  pleading  saint,  to  hold  up  the 
promise  and  the  oath  of  God  before  Him.  The  Lord  can* 
not  deny  His  own  declarations.  Hold  up  the  rod  of  prom- 
ise,  and  have  what  you  will. 

Moses  grew  weary,  and  then  his  friends  assisted  him. 
When  at  any  time  your  prayer  flags,  let  faith  support  one 
hand,  and  let  holy  hope  uplift  the  other,  and  prayer  seating 
itself  upon  the  stone  of  Israel,  the  rock  of  our  salvation, 
will  persevere  and  prevail.  Beware  of  faintness  in  devotion  ; 
if  Moses  felt  it,  who  can  escape  ?  It  is  far  easier  to  fight 
with  sin  in  public,  than  to  pray  against  it  in  private.  It  is  re- 
marked that  Joshua  never  grew  weary  in  the  fighting,  but 
Moses  did  grow  weary  in  the  praying  ;  the  more  spiritual  an 
exercise,  the  more  diflScult  it  is  for  flesh  and  blood  to  main- 
tain it.  Let  us  cry,  then,  for  special  strength,  and  may  the 
Spirit  of  God,  who  helpeth  our  infirmities,  as  He  allowed 
help  to  Moses,  enable  us,  like  him,  to  continue  with  our  hands 
steady  "  until  the  going  down  of  the  sun."  Intermittent 
Bupplication  avails  but  little,  we  must  wrestle  all  night,  and 
hold  up  our  hands,  "  until  the  going  down  of  the  sun  ;  "  till 
the  evening  of  life  is  over  ;  till  we  shall  come  to  the  rising 
of  a  better  sun  in  the  land  where  prayer  is  swallowed  up  in 
praise. 


108  EVENING    KEADINGS.  April  17. 

"  We  would  see  Jesus."  —  John  xii.  21. 

^^VERMORE  the  worldling's  cry  is,  "  Who  will  sho\t 
us  any  good  ?"  He  seeks  satisfaction  in  earthly 
comforts,  enjoyments,  and  riches.  But  the  qui»k- 
ened  sinner  knows  of  only  one  good.  "  0  that  I  knew  where 
I  miglit  find  Him  !  "  When  he  is  truly  awakened  to  feel  his 
guilt,  if  you  could  pour  the  gold  of  India  at  his  feet,  he 
would  say,  "  Take  it  away  :  I  want  to  find  Him."  It  is  a 
blessed  thing  for  a  man,  when  he  has  brought  his  desires  into 
a  focus,  so  that  they  all  centre  in  one  object.  When  he  has 
fifty  different  desires,  his  heart  resembles  a  mere  of  stag- 
nant water,  spread  out  into  a  marsh,  breeding  miasma  and 
pestilence  ;  but  when  all  his  desires  are  brought  into  one 
channel,  his  heart  becomes  like  a  river  of  pure  water,  run- 
ning swiftly  to  fertilize  the  fields.  Happy  is  he  who  hath  one 
desire,  if  that  one  desire  be  set  on  Christ,  though  it  may  not 
yet  have  been  realized.  If  Jesus  be  a  soul's  desire,  it  is  a 
blessed  sign  of  divine  work  within.  Such  a  man  will  never 
be  content  with  mere  ordinances.  He  will  say,  "  I  want 
Christ  ;  I  must  have  Him  —  mere  ordinances  are  of  no  use 
to  me  ;  I  want  Himself ;  do  not  offer  me  these  ;  you  ofi"er 
me  the  empty  pitcher,  while  I  am  dying  of  thirst ;  give  me 
water,  or  I  die.  Jesus  is  my  soul's  desire.  I  would  see 
Jesus  ! " 

Is  this  thy  condition,  my  reader,  at  this  moment  ?  Hast 
thou  but  one  desire,  and  is  that  after  Christ  ?  Then  thou  art 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Hast  thou  but  one 
wish  in  thy  heart,  and  that  one  wish  that  thou  mayst  be 
washed  from  all  thy  sins  in  Jesus'  blood  ?  Canst  thou  really 
eay,  "  I  would  give  all  I  have  to  be  a  Christian  ;  I  would 
give  up  everything  I  have  and  hope  for,  if  I  might  but  feel 
that  I  have  an  interest  in  Christ"  ?  Then,  despite  all  thy 
fears,  be  of  good  cheer,  the  Lord  loveth  thee,  and  thou  shah 
come  out  into  daylight  soon,  and  rejoice  in  the  liberty  where- 
with Christ  makes  men  free. 


April   18.  EVENING    READINGS.  109 

"And  Thou  saidst,  I  mill  surely  do  thee  good."  —  Gen.  xxxiL  12. 

PFij^nEN  Jacob  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  brook  Jab- 
hwh  bok,  and  Esau  wa&  cominfj  with  armed  men,  he  ear- 
--*^*^^  nestly  sought  God's  protection,  and  as  a  master  reason 
he  pleaded,  "  And  Thou  saidst,  I  will  surely  do  thee  good." 
Oh,  the  force  of  that  plea  !  He  was  holding  God  to  His  word 
—  "  Thou  saidst."  The  attribute  of  God's  faithfulness  is  a 
splendid  horn  of  the  altar  to  lay  hold  upon  ;  but  the  promise, 
which  has  in  it  the  attribute  and  something  more,  is  a  yet 
mightier  holdfast  —  "  Thou  saidst,  I  will  surely  do  thee  good." 
And  has  He  said,  and  shall  He  not  do  it  ?  "  Let  God  be 
true,  and  every  man  a  liar."  Shall  not  He  be  true  ?  Shall 
He  not  keep  His  word  ?  Shall  not  every  word  that  comcth 
out  of  His  lips  stand  fast  and  be  fulfilled  ?  Solomon,  at  the 
opening  of  the  temple,  used  this  same  mighty  plea.  He 
pleaded  with  God  to  remember  the  word  which  He  had  spo- 
ken to  his  father  David,  and  to  bless  that  place.  When  a  man 
gives  a  promissory  note,  his  honor  is  engaged ;  he  signs  his 
hand,  and  he  must  discharge  it  when  the  due  time  comes,  or 
else  he  loses  credit.  It  shall  never  be  said  that  God  dis- 
honors His  bills.  The  credit  of  the  Most  High  never  was 
impeached,  and  never  shall  be.  He  is  punctual  to  the  mo- 
ment :  He  never  is  before  His  time,  but  He  never  is  behind 
it.  Search  God's  word  through,  and  compare  it  with  the 
experience  of  God's  people,  and  you  shall  find  the  two  tally 
from  the  first  to  the  last.  Many  a  hoary  patriarch  has  said 
with  Joshua,  "  Not  one  thing  hath  failed  of  all  the  good  things 
which  the  Lord  your  God  spake  concerning  you  ;  all  are  come 
to  pass."  If  you  have  a  divine  promise,  you  need  not  plead 
it  with  an  "  if,"  you  may  urge  it  with  certainty.  The  Lord 
meant  to  fulfil  the  promise,  or  He  would  not  have  given  it. 
God  does  not  give  His  words  merely  to  quiet  us,  and  to  keep 
us  hopeful  for  a  while,  with  the  intention  of  putting  us  oflF  at 
last ;  but  when  He  speaks,  it  is  because  He  means  to  do  as 

He  has  said. 

10 


ilO  EVENING    READINGS,  April  19 

"  Tlie  Amen"  —  Revelation  iii.  14. 

*SHE  word  Amen  solemnly  confirms  that  which  went  be 
fore  ;  and  Jesus  is  the  great  Confirmer  ;  immutable, 
forever  is  "  the  Amen  "  in  all  His  promises.  Sinner, 
I  would  comfort  thee  with  this  reflection.  Jesus  Christ  said, 
"  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest."  If  you  come  to  Him,  He  will  say 
■'  Amen  "  in  your  soul ;  His  promise  shall  be  true  to  you.  He 
said  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  "  The  bruised  reed  I  will  not 
break."  0  thou  poor,  broken,  bruised  heart,  if  thou  comest 
to  Him  He  will  say  "  Amen  "  to  thee,  and  that  shall  be  true 
in  thy  soul  as  in  hundreds  of  cases  in  bygone  years.  Chris- 
tian, is  not  this  very  comforting  to  thee  also,  that  there  is  not 
a  word  which  has  gone  out  of  the  Saviour's  lips  which  He  has 
ever  retracted  ?  The  words  of  Jesus  shall  stand  when  heav- 
en and  earth  shall  pass  away.  If  thou  gettest  a  hold  of  but 
half  a  promise,  thou  shalt  find  it  true.  Beware  of  him  who 
is  called  "  Clip-promise,"  who  will  destroy  much  of  the  com- 
fort of  God's  word.  Jesus  is  Yea  and  Amen  in  all  his  offices. 
He  was  a  Priest  to  pardon  and  cleanse  once.  He  is  Amen  aa 
Priest  still.  He  was  a  King  to  rule  and  reign  for  His  peo- 
ple, and  to  defend  them  with  His  mighty  arm.  He  is  an  Amen 
King,  the  same  still.  He  was  a  Prophet  of  old,  to  foretell 
good  things  to  come,  His  lips  are  most  sweet,  and  drop  with 
honey  still  —  He  is  an  Amen  Prophet.  He  is  Amen  as  to 
the  merit  of  His  blood  ;  He  is  Amen  as  to  His  righteousness. 
That  sacred  robe  shall  remain  most  fair  and  glorious  when 
nature  shall  decay.  He  is  Amen  in  every  single  title  which 
He  bears ;  your  Husband,  never  seeking  a  divorce  ;  your 
Friend,  sticking  closer  than  a  brother ;  your  Shepherd,  with 
you  in  death's  dark  vale ;  your  Help  and  your  Deliverer ; 
your  Castle  and  your  High  Tower  ;  the  Horn  of  your  strength, 
your  confidence,  your  joy,  your  all  in  all,  and  your  Yea  and 
Amen  in  all. 


April  20  EVENING    READINGS.  HI 

"  Fight  the  Lord's  battles." —  1  Samuel  xviii.  17. 

F^HE  sacramental  host  of  God's  elect  is  warring  still  on 
,^^  earth,  Jesus  Christ  being  the  Captain  of  their  salva- 
tion. He  has  said,  "  Lo  !  I  am  with  you  alway,  even 
unto  the  end  of  the  world."  Hark  to  the  shouts  of  war  ! 
Now  let  the  people  of  God  stand  fast  in  their  ranks,  and  let 
no  man's  heart  fail  him.  It  is  true  that  just  now  in  England 
the  battle  is  turned  against  us,  and  unless  the  Lord  Jesus 
shall  lift  His  sword,  we  know  not  what  may  become  of  the 
church  of  God  in  this  land;  but  let  us  be  of  good  courage, 
and  play  the  man.  There  never  was  a  day  when  Protestant 
ism  seemed  to  tremble  more  in  the  scales  than  now  that  a 
fieice  effort  is  making  to  restore  the  Romish  antichrist  to  his 
ancient  seat.  We  greatly  want  a  bold  voice  and  a  strong 
hand  to  preach  and  publish  the  old  gospel  for  wliich  martyrs 
bled  and  confessors  died.  The  Saviour  is,  by  His  Spirit,  still 
on  earth  ;  let  this  cheer  us.  He  is  ever  in  the  midst  of  the 
fight,  and  therefore  the  battle  is  not  doubtful.  And  as  the 
conflict  rages,  what  a  sweet  satisfaction  it  is  to  know  that  the 
Lord  Jesus,  in  His  oflSce  as  our  great  Intercessor,  is  prev- 
alently pleading  for  His  people  !  O  anxious  gazer,  look  not 
so  much  at  the  battle  below,  for  there  thou  shalt  be  enshroud- 
ed in  smoke,  and  amazed  with  garments  rolled  in  blood;  but 
lift  thine  eyes  yonder  where  thy  Saviour  lives  and  pleads,  for 
while  He  intercedes,  the  cause  of  God  is  safe.  Let  us  fight 
as  if  it  all  depended  upon  us,  but  let  us  look  up  and  know 
that  all  depends  upon  Hira. 

Now,  by  the  lilies  of  Christian  purity,  and  by  the  roses  of 
the  Saviour's  atonement,  by  the  roes  and  by  the  hinds  of  the 
field,  we  charge  you  who  are  lovers  of  Jesus,  to  do  valiantly 
in  the  Holy  War,  for  truth  and  righteousness,  for  the  king- 
dom and  crown  jewels  of  your  Master.  Onward  I  "  for  tb« 
battle  is  not  yours,  but  God's." 


112  EVEMNO    HEADINGS.  April  21. 


Who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God."  —  Romans  viii.  34. 

^lE  who  was  once  despised  and  rejected  of  n:5n,  novi 
\i  occupies  the  honorable  position  ofa  beloved  and  hou- 
^^^^^^  ored  Son.  The  right  hand  of  God  is  the  place  of 
majesty  and  favor.  Our  Lord  Jesus  is  His  people's  repre- 
Bentative.  When  He  died  for  them,  they  had  rest ;  when  He 
rose  again  for  them,  they  had  liberty ;  when  He  sat  down  at 
His  Father's  right  hand,  they  had  favor,  and  honor,  and  dig- 
nity. The  raising  and  elevation  of  Christ  is  the  elevation, 
the  acceptance,  the  enshrinement,  the  glorifying  of  all  His 
people,  for  He  is  their  Head  and  Representative.  This  sit- 
ting at  the  right  hand  of  God,  then,  is  to  be  viewed  as  the 
acceptance  of  the  person  of  the  Surety,  the  reception  of  the 
Representative,  and  therefore,  the  acceptance  of  our  souls. 
0  saint,  see  in  this  thy  sure  freedom  from  condemnation. 
"  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  "  W^ho  shall  condemn  the 
men  who  are  in  Jesus  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ? 

The  right  hand  is  the  place  of  power.  Christ  at  the  right 
hand  of  God  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth.  Who 
shall  fight  against  the  people  who  have  such  power  vested  in 
their  Captain  *  0  my  soul,  what  can  destroy  thee  if  Omnip- 
otence be  thy  helper  ?  K  the  aegis  of  the  Almighty  cover 
thee,  what  sword  can  smite  thee  ?  Rest  thou  secure.  If 
Jesus  is  thine  all-prevailing  King,  and  hath  trodden  thine 
enemies  beneath  His  feet ;  if  sin,  death,  and  hell  are  all 
vanquished  by  Him,  and  thou  art  represented  in  Hiit.,  by  no 
possibility  canst  thou  be  destroyed. 

«' Jesu's  tremendous  name 
Puts  all  our  foes  to  flight : 
Jesus,  the  meek,  the  angry  Lamb, 
A  Lion  is  in  tight. 

•*  By  all  hell's  host  withstood ; 
We  all  hell's  host  o'erthrow; 
And  conquering  them,  tlirougb  JeBU's  blood 
We  atill  to  conquer  go." 


April  22.  EVENING    readimjs.  113 

"  Thou  shall  not  hz  afraid  for  the  terror  by  nigJit.*'  —  Psalm  xci.  5. 


^\|jii|^HAT  is  this  terror  ?  It  may  be  the  cry  of  tire,  or  the 
$i/flm  °°i^®  of  thieves,  or  fancied  appearances,  or  the  shrink 
^***^  of  sudden  sickness  or  death.  We  liva  in  the  world 
of  death  and  sorrow,  we  may  therefore  look  for  ills  as  well 
in  the  night-watches  as  beneath  the  glare  of  the  broiling  sun. 
Nor  should  this  alarm  us,  for  be  the  terror  what  it  may,  the 
promise  is  that  the  believer  shall  not  be  afraid.  Why  should 
he  ?  Let  us  put  it  more  closely,  why  should  we?  God  our 
Father  is  here,  and  will  be  here  all  through  the  lonely  hours  ; 
He  is  an  almighty  Watcher,  a  sleepless  Guardian,  a  faithful 
Friend.  Nothing  can  happen  without  His  direction,  for  even 
hell  itself  is  under  His  control.  Darkness  is  not  dark  to 
Him.  He  has  promised  to  be  a  wall  of  fire  around  His  peo- 
ple —  and  who  can  break  through  such  a  barrier  ?  World- 
lings may  well  be  afraid,  for  they  have  an  angry  God  above 
them,  a  guilty  conscience  within  them,  and  a  yawning  hell 
beneath  them  ;  but  we  who  rest  in  Jesus  are  saved  from  all 
these  through  rich  mercy.  If  we  give  way  to  foolish  fear, 
we  shall  dishonor  our  profession,  and  lead  others  to  doubt 
the  reality  of  godliness.  We  ought  to  be  afraid  of  being 
afraid,  lest  we  should  vex  the  Holy  Spirit  by  foolish  distrust. 
Down,  then,  ye  dismal  forebodings  and  groundless  appre- 
liensions,  God  has  not  forgotten  to  be  gracious,  nor  shut  up 
His  tender  mercies;  it  may  be  night  in  the  soul,  but  there 
need  be  no  terror,  for  the  God  of  love  changes  not.  Chil- 
dren of  light  may  walk  in  darkness,  but  they  are  not  there- 
fore cast  away,  nay,  they  are  now  enabled  to  prove  their 
adoption  by  trustiug  in  their  heavenly  Father  ai\  hypocritea 
cannot  do. 

"  Though  the  night  be  dark  and  dreary, 
Diirkness  cannot  hide  from  Thee  ; 
Thou  nit  Ue,  who,  never  weary, 
Watchtst  where  Thy  people  be." 

30* 


114      '  EVENING    HEADINGS.  April  23 

"Lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  .  .  .  stood  a  Lamb  as  it  had  been 
slain."  —  Revelation  v.  6. 

I^^HY  should  our  exalted  Lord  appear  in  His  wounds  in 
/  %i}  S^^^y  ^  "^^^  wounds  of  Jesus  are  His  glories,  His 
*^^  jewels,  His  sacred  ornaments.  To  the  eye  of  the 
fceliever,  Jesus  is  passing  fair  because  He  is  "  white  and 
ruddy  :  "  white  with  innocence,  and  ruddy  with  His  own 
blood.  We  see  Him  as  the  lily  of  matchless  purity,  and  as 
the  rose  crimsoned  with  His  own  gore.  Christ  is  lovely  upon 
Olivet  and  Tabor,  and  by  the  sea,  but  oh  !  there  never  was 
such  a  matchless  Christ  as  He  that  did  hang  upon  the  cross. 
There  we  behold  all  His  beauties  in  perfection,  all  His  at- 
tributes developed,  all  His  love  drawn  out,  all  His  character 
expressed.  Beloved,  the  wounds  of  Jesus  are  far  more  fair 
in  our  eyes  than  all  th'^  splendor  and  pomp  of  kings.  The 
thorny  crown  is  more  than  an  imperial  diadem.  It  is  true 
that  He  bears  not  now  the  sceptre  of  reed,  but  there  was  a 
glory  in  it  that  nMVcr  flashed  from  sceptre  of  gold.  Jesus 
wears  the  appearitu.-e  of  a  slain  lamb  as  His  court  dress  in 
which  He  wooed  c*"  souls,  and  redeemed  them  by  His  com- 
plete atonement.  Nor  are  these  only  the  ornaments  of 
Christ :  they  are  the  trophies  of  His  love  and  of  His  victory. 
He  has  divided  ^>»e  spoil  with  the  strong.  He  has  redeemed 
for  Himself  a  g/'^at  multitude  whom  no  man  can  number,  and 
these  scars  a?  e  the  memorials  of  the  fight.  Ah !  if  Christ 
thus  loves  to  retain  the  thought  of  His  sufferings  for  His 
people,  ho'j  *~ecious  should  His  wounds  he  to  us  I 

•   "^ehold  how  every  wound  of  His 
A  precious  balm  distils, 
ATiich  heals  the  scnrs  that  sin  had  made, 
And  cures  all  mortal  ills. 

rhose  wounds  are  mouths  that  preach  Hii  grarw  | 

The  ensigns  of  His  love  ; 
The  seals  of  our  expected  blisa 

In  Daradisc  abo"»e." 


April  24.  EVENING  readings  115 


••  The  flowers  appear  on  the  earth ;  the  time  of  the  singing  of  birds 
ts  come,  and  the  voice  oj"  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our  land."  —  Can- 
ticles ii.  12. 


lP'7(4i?-iT  Buasou  oi   spring;   ine  loiig  auu  ureary 

^^^Sj-J/  winter  helps  us  to  appreciate  its  genial  warmth,  and 
'^^*'-^  its  promise  of  summer  enhances  its  present  delights. 
After  periods  of  depression  of  spirit,  it  is  delightful  to  behold 
again  the  light  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  ;  then  our  slum- 
bering graces  rise  from  their  lethargy,  like  the  crocus  and 
the  daffodil  from  their  beds  of  earth  ;  then  is  our  heart  made 
merry  with  delicious  notes  of  gratitude,  far  more  melodious 
than  the  warbling  of  birds ;  and  the  comforting  assurance  of 
peace,  infinitely  more  delightful  than  the  turtle's  note,  is  heard 
within  the  soul.  Now  is  the  time  for  the  soul  to  seek  com- 
munion with  her  Beloved  ;  now  must  she  rise  from  her  native 
sordidness,  and  come  away  froni  her  old  associations.  If  we 
do  not  hoist  the  sail  when  the  breeze  is  favorable,  we  shall  be 
blameworthy ;  times  of  refreshing  ought  not  to  pass  over  us 
unimproved.  When  Jesus  Himself  visits  us  iu  tenderness, 
and  entreats  us  to  arise,  can  we  be  so  base  as  to  refuse  His 
request  ?  He  has  Himself  risen  that  He  may  draw  us  after 
Him ;  He  now,  by  His  Holy  Spirit,  has  revived  us,  that  we 
may,  in  newness  of  life,  ascend  into  the  hcavenlies,  and  hold 
communion  with  Himself.  Let  our  wintry  state  suffice  us  for 
coldness  and  indifi"erence ;  when  the  Lord  creates  a  spring 
within,  let  our  sap  flow  with  vigor,  and  our  branch  blossom 
with  high  resolve.  0  Lord,  if  it  be  not  spring  time  in  my 
chilly  heart,  I  pray  Thee  make  it  so,  for  I  am  heartily  weary 
of  living  at  a  distance  from  Thee.  Oh  !  the  long  and  dreary 
winter,  when  wilt  thou  bring  it  to  an  end  ?  Come,  Holy  Spirit, 
and  renew  my  soul !  quicken  Thou  me  !  restore  me,  and  have 
mercy  upon  me  !  This  very  night,  I  would  earnestly  implore 
the  Lord  to  take  pity  upon  His  servant,  and  send  me  a  happj 
revival  of  spiritual  life  * 


116  ETENINO    READINGS.  April  25. 

"  If  any  man  hear  My  voice,  and  open  tin  door,  I  will  come  in  to 
him." — Revelation  iii.  20. 


;HAT  is  your  desire  this  evening  ?  Is  it  set  upou 
heavenly  things  ?  Do  you  long  to  enjoy  the  high  doc- 
trine of  eternal  love  ?  Do  you  desire  liberty  in  very 
close  communion  with  God  ?  Do  you  aspire  to  know  the 
heights,  and  depths,  and  lengths,  and  breadths  ?  Then  you 
must  draw  near  to  Jesus  ;  you  must  get  a  clear  sight  of  Him 
in  His  preciousness  and  completeness ;  you  must  view  Him 
in  His  work,  in  His  oflSces,  in  His  person.  He  who  under- 
stands Christ,  receives  an  anointing  from  the  Holy  One,  by 
which  He  knows  all  things.  Christ  is  the  great  master-key 
of  all  the  chambers  of  God ;  there  is  no  treasure-house  of 
God  which  will  not  open  and  yield  up  all  its  wealth  to  the 
soul  that  lives  near  to  Jesus.  Are  you  saying,  "  0  that  He 
would  dwell  in  my  bosom"  ?  "  Would  that  He  would  make 
my  heart  His  dwelling-place  forever"  ?  Open  the  door,  be- 
loved, and  he  will  come  into  your  souls.  He  has  long  been 
knocking,  and  all  with  this  object,  that  He  may  sup  with  you, 
and  you  with  Him.  He  sups  ivith  you  because  you  find  the 
house  or  the  heart,  and  you  with  Him  because  He  brings  the 
provision.  He  could  not  sup  with  you  if  it  were  not  in  your 
heart,  you  finding  the  house ;  nor  could  you  sup  with  Him, 
for  you  have  a  bare  cupboard,  if  He  did  not  bring  the  pro- 
vision with  Him.  Fling  wide,  then,  the  portals  of  your  soul. 
He  will  come  with  that  love  which  you  long  to  feel ;  He  will 
come  with  that  joy  into  which  you  cannot  work  your  poor 
depressed  spirit ;  He  will  bring  the  peace  which  now  you  have 
not ;  He  will  come  with  His  flagons  of  wine  and  sweet  applea 
of  love,  and  cheer  you  till  you  have  no  other  sickness  but  that 
of  "  love  o'erpowering,  love  divine."  Only  open  the  door  to 
Him,  drive  out  His  enemies,  give  Him  the  keys  of  your  heart, 
and  He  will  dwell  there  forever.  Oh,  wondrous  love,  that 
brings  such  a  guest  to  dwell  in  such  a  heart ! 


April  26.  ET-ENINO    READINGS.  117 


"  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth."  —  Revelation  xvi.  16. 

~^',^[:\^,E  die  daily,"  said  the  apostle.  This  was  the  life  of 
W'hh  the  early  Christians  ;  they  went  everywhere  with 
'  their  lives  in  their  hands.  We  are  not  in  this  day 
called  to  pass  through  the  same  fearful  persecutions ;  if  wo 
were,  the  Lord  would  give  us  grace  to  bear  the  test;  but  the 
tests  of  Christian  life,  at  the  present  moment,  though  out- 
wardly not  so  terrible,  are  yet  more  likely  to  overcome  us 
than  even  those  of  the  fiery  age.  We  have  to  bear  the  sneer 
of  the  world  —  that  is  little  ;  its  blandishments,  its  soft  words, 
its  oily  speeches,  its  fawning,  its  hypocrisy,  are  far  worse. 
Our  danger  is  lest  we  grow  rich  and  become  proud,  lest  we 
give  ourselves  up  to  the  fashions  of  this  present  evil  world, 
and  lose  our  faith.  Or  if  wealth  be  not  the  trial,  worldly 
care  is  quite  as  mischievous.  If  we  cannot  be  torn  in  pieces 
by  the  roaring  lion,  if  we  may  be  hugged  to  death  by  the 
bear,  the  devil  little  cares  which  it  is,  so  long  as  he  destroys 
our  love  to  Christ,  and  our  confidence  in  Him.  I  fear  me 
that  the  Christian  church  is  far  more  likely  to  lose  her  integ- 
rity in  these  soft  and  silken  days  than  in  those  rougher  times. 
Ke  must  be  awake  now,  for  we  traverse  the  enchanted 
ground,  and  are  most  likely  to  fall  asleep  to  our  own  undo- 
ing, unless  our  faith  in  Jesus  be  a  reality,  and  our  love  to 
Jesus  a  vehement  flame.  Many  in  these  days  of  easy  pro- 
fession are  likely  to  prove  tares,  and  not  wheat,  hypocrites 
with  fair  masks  on  their  faces,  but  not  the  true-born  chil- 
dren of  the  living  God.  Christian,  do  not  think  that  these 
are  times  in  which  you  can  dispense  with  watchfulness  or 
with  holy  ardor ;  you  need  these  things  more  than  ever,  and 
may  God  the  eternal  Spirit  display  Ilis  omnipotence  in  you, 
that  you  may  be  able  to  say,  in  all  these  softer  things,  as 
well  as  in  the  rougher,  "  Wc  are  more  than  conqueror* 
through  Him  that  loved  us." 


118  ETBNING    READINGS.  April  27 

"  The  Lord  is  King  forever  and  ever." — Psalm  x.  16. 

2^SUS  CHRIST  is  no  despotic  claimant  of  divih* 
right,  but  He  is  really  and  truly  the  Lord's  anointed  '• 
"  It  hath  pleased  the  Father  that  in  Him  should  all 
fulness  dwell."  God  hath  given  to  Him  all  power  and  all 
authority.  As  the  Son  of  man.  He  is  now  head  over  all 
things  to  His  church,  and  He  reigns  over  heaven,  and  earth, 
and  hell,  with  the  keys  of  life  and  death  at  His  girdle.  Cer- 
tain princes  have  delighted  to  call  themselves  kings  by  the 
popular  will,  and  certainly  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  such  in 
His  church.  If  it  could  be  put  to  the  vote  whether  He 
should  be  King  in  the  church,  every  believing  heart  would 
crown  Hira.  0  that  we  could  crown  Him  more  gloriously 
than  we  do  !  We  would  count  no  expense  to  be  wasted  that 
could  glorify  Christ.  Suffering  would  be  pleasure,  and  loss 
would  be  gain,  if  thereby  we  could  surround  His  brow  with 
brighter  crowns,  and  make  Him  more  glorious  in  the  eyes 
of  men  and  angels.  Yes,  He  shall  reign !  Long  live  the 
King  !  All  hail  to  Thee,  King  Jesus  !  Go  forth,  ye  virgin 
Bouls  who  love  your  Lord,  bow  at  His  feet,  strew  His  way 
with  the  lilies  of  your  love,  and  the  roses  of  your  gratitude  : 
"  Bring  forth  the  royal  diadem,  and  crown  Hira  Lord  of  all." 
Moreover,  our  Lord  Jesus  is  King  in  Zion  by  right  of  con- 
quest. He  has  taken  and  carried  by  storm  the  hearts  of  His 
people,  and  has  slain  their  enemies  who  held  them  in  cruel 
bondage.  In  the  Red  Sea  of  His  own  blood,  our  Redeemer 
has  drowned  the  Pharaoh  of  our  sins ;  shall  He  not  be  King 
in  Jeshurun  ?  He  has  delivered  us  from  the  iron  yoke  and 
heavy  curse  of  the  law  :  shall  not  the  Liberator  be  crowned  ? 
We  are  His  portion,  whom  He  has  taken  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  Amorite  with  His  sword  and  with  His  bow :  who  shall 
enatch  His  conquest  from  His  hand  ?  All  hail.  King  Jesus  I 
we  gladly  own  Thy  gentle  sway  !  Rule  in  our  hearts  for- 
ever. Thou  lovely  Prince  of  Peace. 


April  28.  EVEiiNG  readings.  119 

"All  the  house  of  Israel  are  impudent  and  hardhearted." 
Ezekiel  iii.  7. 

^^I^RE  there  no  exceptions?  No,  not  one.  Even  the  fa- 
tv^  v^  vored  race  are  thus  described.  Are  the  best  so  bad  ? 
'^■^^  — then  what  must  the  worst  be  ?  Come,  my  heart, 
insider  how  far  thou  hast  a  share  in  this  universal  accusa- 
tion, and  while  considering,  be  ready  to  take  shame  unto  thy- 
self wherein  thou  mayst  have  been  guilty.  The  first  charge  ia 
impude}ice,  or  hardness  of  forehead,  a  want  of  holy  shame,  an 
unhallowed  boldness  in  evil.  Before  my  conversion,  I  could 
sin  and  feel  no  compunction,  hear  of  my  guilt  and  yet  remain 
unhumbled,  and  even  confess  my  iniquity  and  manifest  no  in- 
ward humiliation  on  account  of  it.  For  a  sinner  to  go  to  God's 
house  and  pretend  to  pray  to  Him  and  praise  Him,  argues  a 
brazen-facedness  of  the  worst  kind  !  Alas  !  since  the  day  of 
my  new  birth  I  have  doubted  my  Lord  to  His  face,  murmured 
unblushingly  in  His  presence,  worshipped  before  Him  in  a 
slovenly  manner,  and  sinned  without  bewailing  myself  con- 
cerning it.  If  my  forehead  were  not  as  an  adamant,  harder 
than  flint,  I  should  have  far  more  holy  fear,  and  a  far  deeper 
contrition  of  spirit.  Woe  is  me,  I  am  one  of  the  impudent 
house  of  Israel.  The  second  charge  is  hardheartedness,  and  .1 
must  not  venture  to  plead  innocent  here.  Once  I  had  nothing 
but  a  heart  of  stone,  and  although  through  grace  I  now  have? 
a  new  and  fleshy  heart,  much  of  my  former  obduracy  remains 
I  am  not  afi'ected  by  the  death  of  Jesus  as  1  ought  to  be  ;  nei- 
ther am  I  moved  by  the  ruin  of  my  fellow-men,  the  wickednes* 
of  the  times,  the  chastisement  of  my  heavenly  Father,  and  mj 
own  failures,  as  I  should  be.  0  that  my  heart  would  melt  at  thr 
recital  of  my  Saviour's  sufi"erings  and  death.  Would  to  God  ] 
were  rid  of  this  nether  millstone  within  me,  this  hateful  body 
of  death.  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord,  the  disease  is  not 
incurable,  the  Saviour's  precious  blood  is  the  universal  sol- 
vent, and  me,  even  me,  it  will  eff^ectially  soften,  till  my  hetrt 
melts  as  wax  before  the  fire 


120  EVENING    READINGS.  April  29, 

*'  The  Lord  iaketh  jyleasure  in  His  people." — Psalm  txHx.  4. 

^j^OW  comprehensive  is  the  love  of  Jesus  !  There  is  no 
^  part  of  His  people's  interests  which  He  does  not  con- 
■^^'^*^  sider,  and  there  is  nothing  which  concerns  their  wel- 
fare which  is  not  important  to  Him.  Not  merely  does  He 
think  of  you,  believer,  as  an  immortal  being,  but  as  a  mortal 
being  too.  Do  not  deny  it  or  doubt  it.  "  The  very  hairs 
of  your  head  are  all  numbered."  "  The  steps  of  a  good  man 
are  ordered  by  the  Lord  :  and  he  delighteth  in  His  way."  It 
were  a  sad  thing  for  us  if  this  mantle  of  love  did  not  cover 
all  our  concerns,  for  what  mischief  might  be  wrought  to  us 
in  that  part  of  our  business  which  did  not  come  under  oui 
gracious  Lord's  inspection  !  Believer,  rest  assured  that  the 
heart  of  Jesus  cares  about  your  meaner  affairs.  The  breadth 
of  His  tender  love  is  such  that  you  may  resort  to  Him  in  all 
matters ;  for  in  all  your  afflictions  He  is  afflicted,  and  like  as 
a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  doth  He  pity  you.  The 
meanest  interests  of  all  His  saints  are  all  borne  upon  the 
broad  bosom  of  the  Son  of  God.  Oh,  what  a  heart  is  His, 
that  doth  not  merely  comprehend  the  persons  of  His  people, 
but  comprehends  also  the  diverse  and  innumerable  concerns 
of  all  those  persons  !  Dost  thou  think,  0  Christian,  that  thou 
canst  measure  the  love  of  Christ  ?  Think  of  what  His  love 
has  brought  thee  —  justification,  adoption,  sanctification, 
eternal  life  !  The  riches  of  His  goodness  are  unsearchable; 
thou  shalt  never  be  able  to  tell  them  out  or  even  conceive 
them.  Oh,  the  breadth  of  the  love  of  Christ !  Shall  such  a 
love  as  this  have  half  our  hearts  ?  Shall  it  have  a  cold  love 
in  return  ?  Shall  Jesus'  marvellous  loving-kindness  and 
tender  care  meet  with  but  faint  response  and  tardy  acknowU 
edgment  ?  0  my  soul,  tune  thy  heart  to  a  glad  song  of 
thanksgiving !  Go  to  thy  rest  rejoicing,  for  thou  art  no 
desolate  wanderer,  but  a  beloved  child,  watched  over,  cared 
^or,  supplied,  and  defended  by  thy  Lord. 


April  30  EVENING    READINGS.  121 

"  How  precious  also  are  Tliy  thoughts  unto  me,  0  Ood." 
Psalm  cxxxix.  17. 

gIfiSIiTVINE  omniscience  affords  no  comfort  to  the  ungodly 
tl^i^nS  mind,  but  to  the  child  of  God  it  overflows  with  con- 
^'--*=^^  solation.  God  is  always  thinking  upon  ua,  never 
turns  aside  His  mind  from  us,  has  us  always  before  His  eyes  ; 
and  this  is  precisely  as  we  would  have  it,  for  it  would  be 
dreadful  to  exist  for  a  moment  beyond  the  observation  of  our 
heavenly  Father.  His  thoughts  are  always  tender,  loving, 
wise,  prudent,  far-reaching,  and  they  bring  to  us  countless 
benefits  :  hence  it  is  a  choice  delight  to  remember  them. 
The  Lord  always  did  think  upon  His  people  :  hence  their 
election  and  the  covenant  of  grace  by  which  their  salvation 
is  secured  ;  He  always  will  think  upon  them  :  hence  the^r 
final  perseverance  by  which  they  shall  be  brought  safely  to 
their  final  rest.  In  all  our  wanderings  the  watchful  glance 
of  the  Eternal  Watcher  is  evermore  fixed  upon  us  —  we 
never  roam  beyond  the  Shepherd's  eye.  In  our  sorrows  He 
observes  us  incessantly,  and  not  a  pang  escapes  Him  ;  in  our 
toils  He  marks  all  our  weariness,  and  writes  in  His  book  all 
the  struggles  of  His  faithful  ones.  These  thoughts  of  the 
Lord  encompass  us  in  all  our  paths,  and  penetrate  the  inner- 
most region  of  our  being.  Not  a  nerve  or  tissue,  valve  or 
vessel,  of  our  bodily  organization  is  uncared  for  ;  all  the 
littles  of  our  little  world  are  thought  upon  by  the  great  God. 
Dear  reader,  is  this  precious  to  you  ?  then  hold  to  it. 
Never  be  led  astray  by  those  philosophic  fools  who  preach 
up  an  impersonal  God,  and  talk  of  self-existent,  self-govern- 
ing matter.  The  Lord  liveth  and  thinketh  upon  us,  this  is 
a  truth  far  too  precious  for  us  to  be  lightly  robbed  of  it. 
The  notice  of  a  nobleman  is  valued  so  highly  that  he  who 
has  it  counts  his  fortune  made  ;  but  what  is  it  to  be  thought 
of  by  the  King  of  kings  !  If  the  Lord  thinketh  upon  Ufl, 
all  is  well,  and  we  may  rejoice  evermore. 
.1 


122  EVENING    READINGS.  May  1 

"  I  am  the  rose  of  Sharon." —  Solomon's  Song  ii.  1. 

'^'^.^HATEVEE,  there  may  be  of  beauty  in  the  material 
'^h  world,  Jesus  Christ  possesses  all  that  in  the  spiritual 
world  in  a  tenfold  degree.  Amongst  flowers  the 
rose  is  deemed  the  sweetest,  but  Jesus  is  infinitely  more 
beautiful  in  the  garden  of  the  soul  than  the  rose  can  be  in 
the  gardens  of  the  earth.  He  takes  the  first  place  as  the 
fairest  among  ten  thousand.  He  is  the  sun,  and  all  others 
are  the  stars  ;  the  heavens  and  the  day  are  dark  in  compari- 
son with  Him,  for  the  King  in  His  beauty  transcends  all.  "  I 
am  the  rose  of  Sharon."  This  was  the  best  and  rarest  of 
roses.  Jesus  is  not  "the  rose"  alone.  He  is  "the  rose  of 
Sharon,"  just  as  He  calls  His  righteousness  "  gold,"  and 
then  adds,  "  the  gold  of  Ophir  "  —  the  best  of  the  best.  He 
is  positively  lovely,  and  superlatively  the  loveliest.  There 
is  variety  in  his  charms.  The  rose  is  delightful  to  the  eye, 
and  its  scent  is  pleasant  and  refreshing  ;  so  each  of  the 
senses  of  the  soul,  vi^hether  it  be  the  taste  or  feeling,  the 
hearing,  the  sight,  or  the  spiritual  smell,  finds  appropriate 
gratification  in  Jesus.  Uven  the  recollection  of  His  love  is 
sweet.  Take  the  rose  of  Sharon,  and  pull  it  leaf  from  leaf, 
and  lay  by  the  leaves  in  the  jar  of  memory,  and  you  shall 
find  each  leaf  fragrant  long  afterwards,  filling  the  house  with 
perfume.  Christ  satisfies  the  highest  taste  of  the  most  edu- 
cated spirit  to  the  very  full.  The  greatest  amateur  in  per- 
fumes is  quite  satisfied  with  the  rose  ;  and  when  the  soul  has 
arrived  at  her  highest  pitch  of  true  taste,  she  shall  still  bo 
content  with  Christ,  nay,  she  shall  be  the  better  able  to  ap- 
preciate Him.  Heaven  itself  possesses  nothing  which  ex- 
cells  the  rose  of  Sharon.  What  emblem  can  fully  set  forth 
His  beauty  ?  Human  speech  and  earth-born  things  fail  to 
tell  of  Him.  Earth's  choicest  charms  commingled,  feebly 
picture  His  abounding  preciousness.  Blessed  rose,  blooni 
in  my  heart  forever  ! 


May  2.  etbnino  headings.  123 

"  lliese  all  died  in  faith."  —  Hebrews  xi.  13. 

C16EHOLD  the  epitaph  of  all  those  blessed  saints  who 
;?l|^  fell  asleep  before  the  coming  of  our  Lord  !  It  mat- 
ters nothing  how  else  they  died,  whether  of  old  age, 
or  by  violent  means  ;  this  one  point,  in  which  they  all  agree, 
is  the  most  worthy  of  record,  "  they  all  died  in  faith."  In 
faith  they  lived  —  it  was  their  comfort,  their  guide,  their 
motive,  and  their  support ;  and  in  the  same  spiritual  grace 
they  died,  ending  their  life-song  in  the  sweet  strain  in  which 
they  had  so  long  continued.  They  did  not  die  resting  in  the 
flesh  or  upon  their  own  attainments  ;  they  made  no  advance 
from  their  first  way  of  acceptance  with  God,  but  held  to  the 
way  of  faith  to  the  end.  Faith  is  as  precious  to  die  by  as 
to  live  by. 

Dying  in  faith  has  distinct  reference  to  the  past.  They 
believed  the  promises  which  had  gone  before,  and  were  as- 
sured that  their  sins  were  blotted  out  through  the  mercy  of 
God.  Dying  in  faith  has  to  do  with  tJie  present.  These 
saints  were  confident  of  their  acceptance  with  God,  they  en- 
joyed the  beams  of  His  love,  and  rested  in  His  faithfulness. 
Dying  in  faith  looks  into  the  future.  They  fell  asleep,  affirm- 
ing that  the  Messiah  would  surely  come,  and  that  when  He 
should  in  the  last  days  appear  upon  the  earth,  they  would 
rise  from  their  graves  to  behold  Him.  To  them  the  pains 
of  death  were  but  the  birth-pangs  of  a  better  state.  Take 
courage,  my  soul,  as  thou  readest  this  epitaph.  Thy  course, 
through  grace,  is  one  of  faith,  and  sight  seldom  cheers  thee  : 
this  has  also  been  the  pathway  of  the  brightest  and  the  best. 
Faith  was  the  orbit  in  which  these  stars  of  the  first  magni- 
tude moved  all  the  time  of  their  shining  here  ;  and  happy 
art  thou  that  it  is  thine.  Look  anew  to-night  to  Jesus,  the 
author  and  finisher  of  thy  faith,  and  thank  Him  for  giving 
thee  like  precious  faith  with  souls  now  in  glory. 


124  ETENING    KEADINGS.  May  3. 

"^  very  present  help."  —  Psalm  xlvi.  1. 

|)^^^S^^OVENANT  blessings  are  not  meant  to  be  looked  at 
ifij^-ijil  only,  but  to  be  appropriated.  Even  our  Lord  Jesus 
"^^-'^  is  given  to  us  for  our  present  use.  Believer,  thou 
dost  not  make  use  of  Christ  as  thou  oughtest  to  do.  When 
thou  art  in  trouble,  why  dost  thou  not  tell  Him  all  thy  grief? 
Has  He  not  a  sympathizing  heart,  and  can  He  not  comfort 
and  relieve  thee  ?  No,  thou  art  going  about  to  all  thy  friends, 
save  thy  best  Friend,  and  telling  thy  tale  everywhere,  except 
into  the  bosom  of  thy  Lord.  Art  thou  burdened  with  this 
day's  sins  ?  Here  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood  :  use  it, 
saint,  use  it.  Has  a  sense  of  guilt  returned  upon  thee  ? 
The  pardoning  grace  of  Jesus  may  be  proved  again  and 
again.  Come  to  Him  at  once  for  cleansing.  Dost  thou  de- 
plore thy  weakness  ?  He  is  thy  strength  :  why  not  lean  upon 
Him  ?  Dost  thou  feel  naked  ?  Come  hither,  soul ;  put  on 
the  robe  of  Jesus'  righteousness.  Stand  not  looking  at  it, 
but  wear  it.  Strip  off  thine  own  righteousness,  and  thine 
own  fears  too  :  put  on  the  fair  white  linen,  for  it  was  meant 
to  wear.  Dost  thou  feel  thyself  sick  ?  Pull  the  night-bell 
of  prayer,  and  call  up  the  Beloved  Physician  !  He  will  give 
the  cordial  that  will  revive  thee.  Thou  art  poor,  but  then 
thou  hast  "  a  kinsman,  a  mighty  man  of  wealth."  What ! 
wilt  thou  not  go  to  Him,  and  ask  Him  to  give  thee  of  His 
abundance,  when  He  has  given  thee  this  promise,  that  thou 
shalt  be  joint  heir  with  Him,  and  has  made  over  all  that  He 
is,  and  all  that  He  has,  to  be  thine  ?  There  is  nothing  Christ 
dislikes  more  than  for  His  people  to  make  a  show-thing  of 
Him,  and  not  to  use  Him.  He  loves  to  be  employed  by  us. 
The  more  burdens  we  put  on  His  shoiilders,  the  more 
precious  will  He  be  to  us. 

'*  Let  us  be  simple  with  Him,  then, 
Not  biickwaril,  stilf,  or  cold, 
As  though  our  Bethlehem  could  be 
What  Sitiai  was  of  old." 


May  4.  evening  readings.  121 

"  Being  bom  again,  not  of  comtptible  seed,  but  of  incorrriptiOle." 
1  Peter  i.  23. 

^ETER  most  earnestly  exhorted  the  scattered  sainta 
ypvl!  to  love  each  other  "  with  a  pure  heart  fervently," 
[^  and  he  wisely  fetched  his  argument,  not  from  the 
law,  from  nature,  or  frdm  philosophy,  but  from  that  high  and 
divine  nature  which  God  hath  implanted  in  His  people.  Just 
as  some  judicious  tutor  of  princes  might  labor  to  beget  and 
foster  in  them  a  kingly  spirit  and  dignified  behavior,  finding 
arguments  in  their  position  and  descent,  so,  looking  upon 
God's  people  as  heirs  of  glory,  princes  of  the  blood  royal, 
descendants  of  the  King  of  kings,  earth's  truest  and  oldest 
aristocracy,  Peter  saith  to  them,  "  See  that  ye  love  one 
another,  because  of  your  noble  birth,  being  born  of  incorrupt- 
ible seed  ;  because  of  your  pedigree,  being  descended  from 
God,  the  Creator  of  all  things  ;  and  because  of  your  immor- 
tal destiny,  for  you  shall  never  pass  away,  though  the  glory 
of  flesh  shall  fade,  and  even  its  existence  shall  cease."  It 
would  be  well,  if  in  the  spirit  of  humility,  we  recognized  the 
true  dignity  of  our  regenerated  nature,  and  lived  up  to  it. 
What  is  a  Christian  ?  If  you  compare  him  with  a  king,  he 
adds  priestly  sanctity  to  royal  dignity.  The  king's  royalty 
often  lieth  only  in  his  crown,  but  with  a  Christian  it  is  in- 
fused into  his  inmost  nature.  He  is  as  much  above  his  fel- 
lows through  his  new  birth,  as  the  man  is  above  ihe  beast 
that  perisheth.  Surely  he  ought  to  carry  himself,  in  all  his 
dealings,  as  one  who  is  not  of  the  multitude,  but  chosen  out 
of  the  world,  distinguished  by  sovereign  grace,  written  among 
"  the  peculiar  people,"  and  who  therefore  cannot  grovel  in 
the  dust  as  others,  nor  live  after  the  manner  of  the  world's 
citizens.  Let  the  dignity  of  your  nature,  and  the  bright- 
ness of  your  prospects,  0  believers  in  Christ,  constrain  you 
to  cleave  unto  holiness,  and  *o  avoid  the  very  appearance 
of  evil. 


126  EVENING    KEADINGS.  Maj    5. 

He  that  handleth  a  matter  wisely  shall  find  good :  and  whoso  trust- 
eth  in  the  Lord,  happy  is  he."  —  Proverbs  xvi.  20. 

^ISDOM  is  man's  true  strength  ;  and,  under  its  guid- 
1^/^  ance,  he  best  accomplishes  the  ends  of  his  being. 
^  Wisely  handling  the  matter  of  life,  gives  to  man  the 
richest  enjoyment,  and  presents  the  noblest  occupation  for 
his  powers  ;  hence  by  it  he  finds  good  in  the  fullest  sense. 
Without  wisdom,  man  is  as  the  wild  ass's  colt,  running  hither 
and  thither,  wasting  strength  which  might  be  profitably  em- 
ployed. Wisdom  is  the  compass  by  which  man  is  to  steer 
across  the  trackless  waste  of  life  ;  without  it  he  is  a  derelict 
vessel,  the  sport  of  winds  and  waves.  A  man  must  be  pru- 
dent in  such  a  world  as  this,  or  he  will  find  no  good,  but  be 
betrayed  into  unnumbered  ills.  The  pilgrim  will  sorely  wound 
his  feet  among  the  briers  of  the  wood  of  life,  if  he  do  not 
pick  his  steps  with  the  utmost  caution.  He  who  is  in  a  wil- 
derness infested  with  robber  bands,  must  handle  matters 
wisely  if  he  would  journey  safely.  If,  trained  by  the  Great 
Teacher,  we  follow  where  He  leads,  we  shall  find  good,  even 
while  in  this  dark  abode  ;  there  are  celestial  fruits  to  be 
gathered  this  side  of  Eden's  bowers,  and  songs  of  paradise 
to  be  sung  amid  the  groves  of  earth.  But  where  shall  this 
wisdom  be  found  ?  Many  have  dreamed  of  it,  but  have  not 
possessed  it.  Where  shall  we  learn  it  ?  Let  us  listen  to  the 
voice  of  the  Lord,  for  He  hath  declared  the  secret ;  He  hath 
revealed  to  the  sons  of  men  wherein  true  wisdom  lieth,  and 
we  have  it  in  the  text,  "  Whoso  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  happy 
is  he."  21ic  true  ivay  to  handle  a  matter  wisely  is  to  trust  in 
the  Lord.  This  is  the  sure  clew  to  the  most  intricate  laby- 
rinths of  life  ;  follow  it  and  find  eternal  bliss.  He  who  trusts 
in  the  Lord  has  a  diploma  for  wisdom  granted  by  inspiration  : 
happy  is  he  now,  and  happier  shall  he  be  above.  Lord,  in 
this  sweet  eventide  walk  with  me  in  the  garden,  and  teacb 
me  the  wisdom  of  faith. 


May  6.  EVENING    READINGS.  121 

"AH  the  days  of  my  appointed  time  will  I  wait."  —  Job  xiv.  14. 

[ '^  LITTLE  stay  on  earth  will  make  heaven  more  heav- 
enly. Nothing  makes  rest  so  sweet  as  toil;  notliiiig 
renders  security  so  pleasant  as  exposure  to  alarms. 
The  bitter  quassia  cups  of  earth  will  give  a  relish  to  the  new 
wine  which  sparkles  in  the  golden  bowls  of  glory.  Our  bat- 
tered armor  and  scarred  countenances  will  render  more  illus- 
trious our  victory  above,  when  we  are  welcomed  to  the  seats 
of  those  who  have  overcome  the  world.  We  should  not  have 
full  fellowship  with  Christ  if  we  did  not  for  a  while  sojourn 
below,  for  He  was  baptized  with  a  baptism  of  suffering  among 
men,  and  we  must  be  baptized  with  the  same  if  we  would 
share  His  kingdom.  Fellowship  with  Christ  is  so  honorable 
that  the  sorest  sorrow  is  a  light  price  by  which  to  procure  it. 
Another  reason  for  our  lingering  here  is /or  the  good  of  oth- 
ers. We  would  not  wish  to  enter  heaven  till  our  work  is 
done,  and  it  may  be  that  we  are  yet  ordained  to  minister 
light  to  souls  benighted  in  the  wilderness  of  sin.  Our  pro- 
longed stay  here  is  doubtless /or  God's  glory.  A  tried  saint, 
like  a  well-cut  diamond,  glitters  much  in  the  King's  crown. 
Nothing  reflects  so  much  honor  on  a  workman  as  a  protract- 
ed and  severe  trial  of  his  work,  and  its  triumphant  endurance 
of  the  ordeal  without  giving  way  i.)  any  part.  We  are  God's 
workmanship  in  whom  He  will  be  glorified  by  our  afflictions. 
It  is  for  the  honor  of  Jesus  that  we  endure  the  trial  of  our 
faith  with  sacred  joy.  Let  each  man  surrender  his  own  long- 
ings to  the  glory  of  Jesus,  and  feel,  "  If  my  lying  in  the  dust 
would  elevate  my  Lord  by  so  much  as  an  inch,  let  me  still 
lie  among  the  pots  of  earth.  If  to  live  on  earth  forever 
would  make  my  Lord  more  glorious,  it  should  be  my  heaven 
to  be  shut  out  of  heaven."  Our  time  is  fixed  and  settled  by 
eternal  decree.  Let  us  not  be  anxious  about  it,  but  wait  with 
patience  till  the  gates  c(  pearl  shall  open. 


128  EVENING  READINGS.  May  7 

"  Jesus  saith  unto  him.  Rise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk."  —  John  v.  8 

^iKE  many  others,  the  impotent  man  had  been  waiting 
'^)  for  a  wonder  to  bo  wrought,  and  a  sign  to  be  given. 

^^^-^  Wearily  did  he  watch  the  pool,  but  no  angel  came, 
or  came  not  for  him ;  yet,  thioking  it  to  be  his  only  chance, 
he  waited  still,  and  knew  not  that  there  was  One  near  him 
whose  word  could  heal  him  in  a  moment.  Many  are  in  the 
same  plight :  they  are  waiting  for  some  singular  emotion, 
remarkable  impression,  or  celestial  vision  ;  they  wait  in  vain 
and  watch  for  nought.  Even  supposing  that,  in  a  icyj  cases, 
remarkable  signs  are  seen,  yet  these  are  rare,  and  no  man 
has  a  right  to  look  for  them  in  his  own  case  ;  no  man  espe- 
cially who  feels  his  irapotency  to  avail  himself  of  the  moving 
of  the  water  even  if  it  came.  It  is  a  very  sad  reflection  that 
tens  of  thousands  are  now  waiting  in  the  use  of  means,  and 
ordinances,  and  vows,  and  resolutions,  and  have  so  waited 
time  out  of  mind,  in  vain,  utterly  in  vain.  Meanwhile  these 
poor  souls  forget  the  present  Saviour,  who  bids  them  look 
unto  Him  and  be  saved.  He  could  heal  them  at  once,  but 
they  prefer  to  wait  for  an  angel  and  a  wonder.  To  trust 
Him  is  a  sure  way  to  every  blessing,  and  He  is  worthy  of 
the  most  implicit  confidence  ;  but  unbelief  makes  them  pre- 
fer the  cold  porches  of  Bethesda  to  the  warm  bosom  of  His 
love.  0  that  the  Lord  may  turn  His  eye  upon  the  multi- 
tudes who  are  in  this  case  to-night ;  may  He  forgive  the 
slights  which  they  put  upon  His  divine  power,  and  call  them 
by  that  sweet  constraining  voice,  to  rise  from  the  bed  of 
despair,  and  in  the  energy  of  faith  take  up  their  bed  and 
walk.  0  Lord,  hear  our  prayer  for  all  such  at  this  calm 
hour  of  sunset,  and  ere  the  day  breaketh  may  they  look  and 
live. 

Courteous  reader,  is  there  anything  in  this  portion  foi 
you  ? 


May  8.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  129 

"  Acquaint  now  thyself  with  Him."  —  Job  xxii.  21. 

^F  we  would  rightly  "  acquaint  ourselves  with  God,  and 
c^  be  at  peace,"  we  must  knowllim  as  He  has  revealed 
>ky  JJiniself,  not  only  in  the  unity  of  His  essenc.  and  sub- 
Btstence,  but  also  in  the  plurality  of  His  persons.  God  said, 
'*  Let  vs  make  man  in  our  oion  image  ;  "  let  not  man  be  con- 
tent until  he  knows  something  of  the  "  us  "  from  whom  hij 
being  was  derived.  Endeavor  to  know  the  Father;  bury 
your  head  in  His  bosom  in  deep  repentance,  and  confess  that 
you  are  not  worthy  to  be  called  His  son  ;  receive  the  kiss  of 
His  love  ;  let  the  ring  which  is  the  token  of  His  eternal  faith- 
fulness be  on  your  finger  ;  sit  at  His  table  and  let  your  heart 
make  merry  in  His  grace.  Then  press  forward  and  seek  to 
know  much  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  is  the  brightness  of  His 
Father's  glory,  and  yet  in  unspeakable  condescension  of  grace 
became  man  for  our  sakes  ;  know  Him  in  the  singular  com- 
plexity of  His  nature  :  eternal  God,  and  yet  suifering,  finite 
man  ;  follow  Him  as  He  walks  the  waters  with  the  tread  of 
deity,  and  as  He  sits  upon  the  well  in  the  weariness  of  hu- 
manity. Be  not  satisfied  unless  you  know  much  of  Jesus 
Christ  as  your  Friend,  your  Brother,  your  Husband,  your 
all.  Forget  not  the  Holy  Spirit;  endeavor  to  obtain  a  clear 
view  of  His  nature  and  character.  His  attributes,  and  His 
works.  Behold  that  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  who  first  of  all 
moved  upon  chaos,  and  brought  forth  order ;  who  now  visits 
the  chaos  of  your  soul,  and  creates  the  order  of  holiness. 
Behold  Him  as  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  spiritual  life,  the  H- 
luminator,  the  Instructor,  the  Comforter,  and  the  Sanctifier. 
Behold  Him  as,  like  holy  unction.  He  descends  upon  the 
head  of  Jesus,  and  then  afterwards  rests  upon  you  who  are 
as  the  skirts  of  His  garments.  Such  an  intelligent,  scrip- 
tural, and  experimental  belief  in  the  Trinity  in  Unity  is 
yours  if  you  truly  know  God;  and  su5h  knowledge  bringi 
feace  indeed. 


130  EVENING    EEADIN08.  May  9 

"  Come,  my  beloved,  let  tis  go  forth  into  the  field,  .  .  .let  us  see  ij 
the  vine  flourish."  —  Canticles  vii.  11,  12. 

^HE  church  was  about  to  engage  in  earnest  labor,  and 
desired  her  Lord's  company  in  it.  She  does  noi 
say,  "  I  will  go  ;  "  but  "  let  us  go."  It  is  blessed 
working  when  Jesus  is  at  our  side !  It  is  the  business  of 
God's  people  to  be  trimmers  of  God's  vines.  Like  our  first 
parents,  we  are  put  into  the  garden  of  the  Lord  for  useful- 
ness ;  let  us  therefore  go  forth  into  the  field.  Observe  that 
the  church,  when  she  is  in  her  right  mind,  in  all  her  many 
labors  desires  to  enjoy  communion  with  Christ.  Some  im- 
agine that  they  cannot  serve  Christ  actively,  and  yet  have 
fellowship  with  Him :  they  are  mistaken.  Doubtless  it  is 
very  easy  to  fritter  away  our  inward  life  in  outward  exer- 
cises, and  come  to  complain  with  the  spouse,  "  They  made 
me  keeper  of  the  vineyards ;  but  mine  own  vineyard  have  I 
not  kept ; "  but  there  is  no  reason  why  this  should  be  the 
case  except  our  own  folly  and  neglect.  Certain  it  is  that  a 
professor  may  do  nothing,  and  yet  grow  quite  as  lifeless  in 
spiritual  things  as  those  who  are  most  busy.  Mary  was  not 
praised  for  sitting  still,  but  for  her  sitting  at  Jesus'  feet. 
Even  so,  Christians  are  not  to  be  praised  for  neglecting 
duties  under  the  pretence  of  having  secret  fellowship  with 
Jesus  :  it  is  not  sitting,  but  sitting  at  Jesus'  feet.,  which  is  com- 
mendable. Do  not  think  that  activity  is  in  itself  an  evil : 
it  is  a  great  blessing,  and  a  means  of  grace  to  us.  Paul 
called  it  a  grace  given  to  him  to  be  allowed  to  preach  ;  and  ev- 
ery form  of  Christian  service  may  become  a  personal  blessing 
to  those  engaged  in  it.  Those  who  have  most  fellowship  with 
Christ  are  not  recluses  or  hermits,  who  have  much  time  to 
spare,  but  indefatigable  laborers  who  are  toiling  for  Jesus 
and  who,  in  their  toil,  have  Him  side  by  side  with  them,  so 
that  they  are  workers  together  with  God.  Let  us  remember 
thuu,  in  anything  we  have  to  do  for  Jesus,  that  we  can  do 
it.  and  should  do  it.  in  close  communion  with  Him. 


May   10.  EVKNINO    EEADIXGS.  13 1 

"  TTie  ojily  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth." 
John  1.  14. 

^^iELIEVER,  you  can  bear  your  testimony  that  Christ  i» 
i)  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  as  well  as  the  first  be- 
^"^^  gotten  from  the  dead.  You  can  say,  "  He  is  divine. 
to  me,  if  He  be  human  to  all  the  world  beside.  He  has  done 
that  for  me  which  none  but  a  God  could  do.  He  has  subdued 
my  stubborn  will,  melted  a  heart  of  adamant,  opened  gates 
of  brass,  and  snapped  bars  of  iron.  He  hath  turned  for 
me  my  mourning  into  laughter,  and  my  desolation  into  joy ; 
He  hath  led  my  captivity  captive,  and  made  my  heart  rejoice 
with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  Let  others  think  aa 
they  will  of  Him,  to  me  He  must  be  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father :  blessed  be  His  name.  And  He  is  full  of  grace. 
Ah  !  had  He  not  been,  I  should  never  have  been  saved.  He 
drew  me  when  I  struggled  to  escape  from  His  grace  ;  and 
when  at  last  I  came  all  trembling  like  a  condemned  culprit 
to  His  mercy-seat.  He  said,  *  Thy  sins,  which  are  many,  are 
all  forgiven  thee  :  be  of  good  cheer.'  And  He  is  full  of 
truth.  True  have  His  promises  been  ;  not  one  has  failed. 
I  bear  witness  that  never  servant  had  such  a  master  as  I 
have ;  never  brother  such  a  kinsman  as  He  has  been  to  me  ; 
never  spouse  such  a  husband  as  Christ  has  been  to  my  soul ; 
never  sinner  a  better  Saviour ;  never  mourner  a  better  com- 
forter than  Christ  hath  been  to  my  spirit.  I  want  none  be- 
side Him.  In  life  He  is  my  life,  and  in  death  He  shall  be 
the  death  of  death;  in  poverty  Christ  is  my  riches;  in  sick- 
ness He  makes  my  bed ;  in  darkness  He  is  my  star,  and  in 
brightness  H-c  is  my  sun ;  He  is  the  manna  of  the  camp  in 
the  wilderness,  and  He  shall  be  the  new  corn  of  the  host 
when  they  come  to  Canaan.  Jesus  is  to  me  all  grace  and  no 
wrath,  all  truth  and  no  falsehood  :  and  of  truth  and  grace  He 
is  full,  infinitely  full.  My  soul,  this  night,  bless  with  all  tbj 
noight  '  the  only  Begotten.'  " 


132  EVENING    READINGS.  May  H 


"  Only  be  thou  strong  and  very  courageous"  —  Joshua  i.  7. 

^j^UR.  God's  tender  love  for  His  servants  makes  Hira 
i  concerned  for  the  state  of  their  inward  feeliugs.     He 

*'^^^  desires  them  to  be  of  good  courage.  Some  esteea 
it  a  small  thing  for  a  believer  to  be  vexed  with  doubts  and 
fears,  but  God  thinks  not  so.  From  this  text  it  is  plain  that 
our  Master  would  not  have  us  entangled  with  fears.  He 
would  have  us  without  carefulness,  without  doubt,  without 
cowardice.  Our  Master  does  not  think  so  lightly  of  our  un- 
belief as  we  do.  When  we  are  desponding  we  are  subject 
to  a  grievous  malady,  not  to  be  trifled  with,  but  to  be  carried 
at  once  to  the  beloved  Physician.  Our  Lord  loveth  not  to 
see  our  countenance  sad.  It  was  a  law  of  Ahasuerus,  that 
no  one  should  come  into  the  king's  court  dressed  in  mourn- 
ing ;  this  is  not  the  law  of  the  King  of  kings,  for  we  may 
come  mourning  as  we  are  ;  but  still  He  would  have  us  put 
off  the  spirit  of  heaviness,  and  put  on  the  garment  of  praise, 
for  there  is  much  reason  to  rejoice.  The  Christian  man  ought 
to  be  of  a  courageous  spirit,  in  order  that  he  may  glorify  the 
Lord  by  enduring  trials  in  an  heroic  manner.  If  he  be  fear- 
ful and  fainthearted,  it  will  dishonor  his  God,  Besides,  rohat 
a  bad  example  it  is  !  This  disease  of  doubtfulness  and  dis- 
couragement is  an  epidemic  which  soon  spreads  amongst  the 
Lord's  flock.  One  downcast  believer  makes  twenty  souls 
sad.  Moreover,  unless  your  courage  is  kept  up,  Satan  will 
be  too  much  for  you.  Let  your  spirit  be  joyful  in  God  your 
Saviour,  the  joy  of  the  Lord  shall  be  your  strength,  and  no 
fiend  of  hell  shall  make  headway  against  you  ;  but  cowardice 
throws  down  the  banner.  Moreover,  labor  is  light  to  a  man 
of  cheerful  spirit ;  and  success  ivaits  upon  cheerfulness.  The 
man  who  toils,  rejoicing  in  His  God,  believing  with  all  his 
heart,  has  success  guaranteed.  He  who  sows  in  hope  shall 
reap  in  joy ;  therefore,  dear  reader,  "  be  thou  strov  .^  and 
very  courageous." 


May  12.  evening  keadinos.  133 


Fear  not  to  go  down  into  Egypt ;  for  I  will  there  make  of  thee  a 
great  nation:  I  will  go  down  with  thee  into  Egypt  ;  and  I  will 
also  surely  bring  thee  up  again."  —  Genesis  xlvi.  3,  4. 

S^ACOB  must  have  shuddered  at  the  thought  of  leaving 
the  land  of  his  father's  sojourning,  and  dwelling 
among  heathen  strangers.  It  was  a  neiu  scene,  aid 
likely  to  be  a  trying  one :  who  shall  venture  among  courtiers 
of  a  foreign  monarch  without  anxiety  ?  Yet  the  way  was 
evidently  appointed  for  him,  and  therefore  he  resolved  to  go. 
This  is  frequently  the  position  of  believers  now  —  they  are 
called  to  perils  and  temptations  altogether  untried ;  at  such 
seasons  let  them  imitate  JacoVs  example  by  offering  sacrifices 
of  prayer  unto  God,  and  seeking  His  direction  ;  let  them  not 
take  a  step  until  they  have  waited  upon  the  Lord  for  His 
blessing :  then  they  will  have  Jacob's  companion  tp  be  their 
friend  and  helper.  How  blessed  to  feel  assured  that  the 
Lord  is  with  us  in  all  our  ways,  and  condescends  to  go  down 
into  our  humiliations  and  banishments  with  us  !  Even  be- 
yond the  ocean  our  Father's  love  beams  like  the  sun  in  its 
strength.  We  cannot  hesitate  to  go  where  Jehovah  prom- 
ises His  presence  ;  even  the  valley  of  deathshade  grows 
bright  with  the  radiance  of  this  assurance.  Marching  on- 
wards with  faith  in  their  God,  believers  shall  have  Jacob's 
promise.  They  shall  be  brought  up  again  whether  it  be 
from  the  troubles  of  life,  or  the  chambers  of  death.  Jacob's 
seed  came  out  of  Egypt  in  due  time,  and  so  shall  all  the 
faithful  pass  unscathed  through  the  tribulation  of  life,  and  the 
terror  of  death.  Let  us  exercise  Jacob's  confidence.  '■'■  Fear 
not''  is  the  Lord's  command  and  His  divine  encouragement 
to  those  who  at  His  bidding  are  launching  upon  new  seas  ; 
the  divine  presence  and  preservation  forbid  so  much  as  one 
unbelieving  fear.  Without  our  God  we  should  fear  to  move ; 
but  when  He  bids  us  go,  it  would  be  dangerous  to  tarry. 
Reader,  go  forward,  and  fear  not. 
12 


134  ETENING    HEADINGS.  Majf    13 

"  TJlou  art  my  portion,  0  Lord."  —  Psalm  cxix.  57. 

ilS^OOK  at  thy  possessions,  O  believer,  and  compare  th^ 
^)  portion  with  the  lot  of  thy  fellow-men.  Some  of 
them  have  their  portion  in  the  field ;  they  are  rich, 
and  their  harvests  yield  them  a  golden  increase ;  but  what 
are  harvests  compared  with  thy  God,  who  is  the  God  of  har 
vests  ?  What  are  bursting  granaries  compared  with  Him, 
who  is  the  Husbandman,  and  feeds  thee  with  the  bread  of 
heaven  ?  Some  have  their  portion  in  the  city  ;  their  wealth 
is  abundant,  and  flows  to  them  in  constant  streams,  until  they 
become  a  very  reservoir  of  gold  ;  but  what  is  gold  compared 
with  thy  God  ?  Thou  couldst  not  live  on  it ;  thy  spiritual 
life  could  not  be  sustained  by  it.  Put  it  on  a  troubled  con- 
science, and  could  it  allay  its  pangs  ?  Apply  it  to  a  do 
spondiug-  heart,  and  see  if  it  could  stay  a  solitary  groan,  or 
give  one  grief  the  less  ?  But  thou  hast  God,  and  in  Him 
thou  hast  more  than  gold  or  riches  ever  could  buy.  Some 
have  their  portion  in  that  which  most  men  love  —  applause 
and  fame  ;  but  ask  thvself,  is  not  thy  God  more  to  thee  than 
that  ?  What  if  a  myriad  clarions  should  be  loud  in  thine 
applause  ;  would  this  prepare  thee  to  pass  the  Jordan,  or 
cheer  thee  in  prospect  of  judgment  ?  No,  there  are  griefs 
in  life  which  wealth  cannot  alleviate ;  and  there  is  the  deep 
need  of  a  dying  hour,  for  which  no  riches  can  provide.  But 
when  thou  hast  God  for  thy  portion,  thou  hast  more  than  all 
else  put  together.  In  Him  every  want  is  met,  whether  in 
life  or  in  death.  With  God  for  thy  portion  thou  art  rich  in. 
deed,  for  He  will  supply  thy  need,  comfort  thy  heart,  assuage 
thy  grief,  guide  thy  steps,  be  with  thee  in  the  dark  valley, 
and  then  take  thee  home,  to  enjoy  Him  as  thy  portion  for- 
ever. "  I  have  enough,"  said  Esau ;  this  is  the  best  thing 
a  worldly  man  can  say ;  but  Jacob  replies,  "  I  have  alJ 
things,"  which  is  a  note  too  high  for  carnal  minds. 


May  14.  evening  beadinob.  ISd 


"  Et  shall  gather  the  lambs  with  His  arm,  and  carry  them,  in  Jlii 
bosom."  —  Isaiah  xl.  11. 

]  VHO  is  He  of  whom  such  gracious  words  are  spoken  i 
ji/i  lie  is  THE  Good  Shepherd.  Why  doth  lie  carry 
the  lambs  in  Ilis  bosom  ?  Because  He  hath  a  ttnder 
heart,  and  avy  weakness  at  once  melts  His  heart.  The  siglis^ 
the  ignorance,  the  feebleness  of  the  little  ones  of  His  flock 
draw  forth  His  compassion.  It  is  His  office,  as  a  faithful 
High  Priest,  to  consider  the  weak.  Besides,  He  purchased 
them  with  hlood,  they  are  His  property  :  He  must  and  will  care 
for  that  which  cost  Him  so  dear.  Then  He  is  responsible  f 01 
each  lamb,  bound  by  covenant  engagements  not  to  lose  one. 
Moreover,  tJiey  are  all  a  part  of  His  glory  and  reward. 

But  how  may  we  understand  the  expression,  '*  He  wiU 
carry  them  "  ?  Sometimes  He  carries  them  by  not  permitting 
them  to  endure  much  trial.  Providence  deals  tenderly  with 
them.  Often  they  are  "carried"  by  being  filled  with  an 
unusual  degree  of  love,  so  that  they  bear  up  and  stand  fast. 
Though  their  knowledge  may  not  be  deep,  they  have  great 
sweetness  in  what  they  do  know.  Frequently  He  "  carries" 
them  by  giving  them  a  very  simple  faith,  which  takes  the 
promise  just  as  it  stands,  and  believingly  runs  with  every 
trouble  straight  to  Jesus.  The  simplicity  of  their  faith  gives 
them  an  unusual  degree  of  confidence,  which  carries  them 
above  the  world. 

"  He  carries  the  lambs  in  His  bosom."  Here  is  boundless 
affection.  Would  He  put  them  in  His  bosom  if  He  did  not 
love  them  much  ?  Here  is  tender  nearness :  so  near  are  they, 
that  they  could  not  possibly  be  nearer.  Here  is  hallowed  fa- 
miliarity :  there  are  precious  love-passages  between  Christ 
and  His  weak  ones.  Here  is  perfect  safety :  in  His  boson 
whc  can  hurt  them  ?  They  must  hurt  the  Shepherd  first. 
Here  is  perfect  rest  and  sweetest  comfort.  Surely  we  are  not 
sufficiently  sensible  of  the  infinite  tenderness  of  Jesus  1 


136  EVENING    KEA.DINGS.  May  15 


"  Made  perfect."  —  Hebrews  xii.  23. 


i'^ECOLLECT  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  perfection 
y^  which  the  Christian  needs  —  the  perfection  of  justifi- 
"^^^"^  cation  in  the  person  of  Jesus,  and  the  perfection  of 
Banctification  wrought  in  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  At  present, 
corruption  yet  remains  even  in  the  breasts  of  the  regenerate 
—  experience  soon  teaches  us  this.  Within  us  are  still  lusts 
and  evil  imaginations.  But  I  rejoice  to  know  that  the  day 
is  coming  when  God  shall  finish  the  work  which  He  has  be- 
gun ;  and  He  shall  present  my  soul,  not  only  perfect  in  Christ, 
but  perfect  through  the  Spirit,  without  spot  or  blemish,  or 
any  such  thing.  Can  it  be  true  that  this  poor  sinful  heart 
of  mine  is  to  become  holy  even  as  God  is  holy  ?  Can  it  be 
that  this  spirit,  which  often  cries,  "  Oh,  wretched  man  that  .' 
am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  sin  and 
death?"  shall  get  rid  of  sin  and  death  —  that  I  shall  have 
no  evil  things  to  vex  my  ears,  and  no  unholy  thoughts  to 
disturb  my  peace  ?  Oh,  happy  hour  !  may  it  be  hastened  ! 
When  I  cross  the  Jordan,  the  work  of  sanctification  will  be 
finished ;  but  not  till  that  moment  shall  I  ever  claim  perfec- 
tion in  myself.  Then  my  spirit  shall  have  its  last  baptism  in 
the  Holy  Spirit's  fire.  Methinks  I  long  to  die  to  receive  that 
last  and  final  purification  which  shall  usher  me  into  heaven. 
Not  an  angel  more  pure  than  I  shall  be,  for  I  shall  be  able 
to  say,  in  a  double  sense,  "  I  am  clean,"  through  Jesus' 
blood,  and  through  the  Spirit's  work.  Oh,  how  should  we 
extol  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  thus  making  us  fit  to 
stand  before  our  Father  in  heaven  !  Yet  let  not  the  hope  of 
perfection  hereafter  make  us  content  with  imperfection  now. 
If  it  does  this,  our  hope  cannot  be  genuine  ;  for  a  good  hope 
is  a  purifying  thing,  even  now.  The  work  of  grace  must  be 
ahiding  in  us  now  or  it  cannot  be  perfected  then.  Let  us  pray 
to  "  be  filled  with  the  Spirit,"  that  we  may  bring  forth  t»»- 
ereasingly  the  fruits  of  righteousiiess. 


May  16.  evening  readings.  i37 

*'Anil  he  said,  Thus  saiih  the  Lord.  Make  this  valley  full  of  dTlches. 
For  tliiis  staUh  the  Lord,  Ye  shall  v,o'  'sc  wind,  neither  shall  ye  see 
rain  ;  yet  that  valley  shall  be  filled  u-ith  water,  that  ye  may  drink, 
both  ye,  and  your  cattle,  and  your  beasts."  —  2  Kings  iii.  IG,  17. 

^-^HE  armies  of  the  tliree  kings  were  famishing  for  want 
:?^^  of  water  :  God  was  about  to  send  it,  and  in  these 
words  the  prophet  announced  the  coming  blessing 
Here  was  a  case  of  human  helpless7iess :  not  a  drop  of  watei 
could  all  the  valiant  men  procure  from  the  skies  <  r  find  in 
the  wells  of  earth.  Thus  often  the  people  of  the  Lord  are 
at  their  wits'  end  ;  they  see  the  vanity  of  the  creature,  and 
learn  experimentally  where  their  help  is  to  be  foun^.  Still 
the  people  were  to  make  a  helieving  preparation  for  the  divine 
blessing ;  they  were  to  dig  the  trenches  in  which  the  precious 
liquid  would  be  held.  The  church  must,  by  her  varied  agen- 
cies, efi'orts,  and  prayers,  make  herself  ready  to  be  blessed 
she  must  make  the  pools,  and  the  Lord  will  fill  them.  Thia 
must  be  done  in  faith,  in  the  full  assurance  that  the  blessing 
is  about  to  descend.  By  and  by  there  was  a  singular  bestowal 
of  the  needed  boon.  Not  as  in  Elijah's  case  did  the  shower 
pour  from  the  clouds,  but  in  a  silent  and  mysterious- manner 
the  pools  were  filled.  The  Lord  has  His  own  sovereign 
modes  of  action  :  He  is  not  tied  to  manner  and  time  as  we 
are,  but  doeth  as  He  pleases  among  the  sons  of  men.  It  is 
ours  thankfully  to  receive  from  Him,  and  not  to  dictate  to 
Him.  We  must  also  notice  the  remarkable  abundance  of  the 
supply —  there  was  enough  for  the  need  of  all.  And  so  is  it 
in  the  gospel  blessing;  all  the  wants  of  the  con;;rcgatiDn 
and  of  the  entire  church  shall  be  met  by  the  divine  power  in 
answer  to  prayer ;  and  above  all  this,  victory  shall  lie  speed- 
ily given  to  the  armies  of  the  Lord. 

What  am  I  doing  for  Jesus  ?     What  trenches  am  I  dig- 
ging  r    0  Lord,  make  me  ready  t(  receive  the  blessing  vzhich 
Thou  art  so  willing  to  bestow. 
12* 


.38  EVENING  READINGS.  May  17. 

"  Thou  art  My  servant ;  I  Tiave  chosen  thee."  —  Isaiah  xli.  9. 

frF  we  have  received  the  grace  of  God  in  our  hearts,  ita 
*^^^\  practical  effect  has  been  to  make  us  God's  servants. 
^^  We  may  be  unfaithful  servants,  we  certainly  are  un- 
profitable ones,  but  yet,  blessed  be  His  name,  we  are  His 
servants,  wearing  His  livery,  feeding  at  His  table,  and  obey- 
ing His  commands.  We  were  once  the  servants  of  sin,  but 
He  who  made  us  free  has  now  taken  us  into  His  family  and 
taught  us  obedience  to  His  will.  We  do  not  serve  our  Mas- 
ter perfectly,  but  we  would  if  we  could.  As  we  hear  God's 
voice  saying  unto  us,  "  Thou  art  My  servant,"  we  can  an- 
swer with  David,  "  I  am  Thy  servant ;  Thou  hast  loosed  my 
bonds."  But  the  Lord  calls  us  not  only  His  servants,  but  His 
chosen  ones  —  "I  have  chosen  thee."  We  have  not  chosen 
Him  first,  but  He  hath  chosen  us.  If  we  be  God's  servants 
we  were  not  always  so ;  to  sovereign  grace  the  change  must 
be  ascribed.  The  eye  of  sovereignty  singled  us  out,  and  the 
voice  of  unchanging  grace  declared,  "  I  have  loved  thee  with" 
an  everlasting  love."  Long  ere  time  began,  or  space  was 
created,  God  had  written  upon  His  heart  the  names  of  His 
elect  people,  had  predestinated  them  to  be  conformed  unto 
the  image  of  His  Son,  and  ordained  them  heirs  of  all  the  ful- 
ness of  His  love,  His  grace,  and  His  glory.  What  comfort 
is  here  !  Has  the  Lord  loved  us  so  long,  and  will  He  yet; 
cast  us  away  ?  He  knew  how  stififnecked  we  should  be  ;  He 
understood  that  our  hearts  were  evil,  and  yet  He  made  the 
choice.  Ah  !  our  Saviour  is  no  fickle  lover.  He  doth  not 
feel  enchanted  for  a  while  with  some  gleams  of  beauty  from 
His  church's  eye,  pnd  then  afterwards  cast  her  off  because 
of  her  unfaithfulness.  Nay,  He  married  her  in  old  eternity  j 
and  it  is  written  of  Jehovah,  "He  hateth  putting  away." 
The  eternal  choice  is  a  bond  upon  our  gratitude  and  upon 
Hii  faithfulness  which  neither  can  disown. 


MaV  18.  EVENING    READINGS.  139 


"  Jftertcard."  —  Hebrews  xii.  11. 


JOW  happy  are  tried  Christians,  afterwards  I  No  calm 
\t  more  deep  than  that  which  succeeds  a  storm.  Whc 
'^*^**^  has  not  rejoiced  in  clear  shinings  after  rain  ?  Vic- 
torioin  banquets  are  for  well-exercised  soldiers.  After  kill 
ing  the  lion,  we  eat  tho  honey  ;  after  climbing  the  Hill  Diffi 
culty,  we  sit  down  in  the  arbor  to  rtst ;  after  traversing  the 
Valley  of  Iluniiliation,  after  fighting  with  Apollyon,  the 
shining  one  appears,  with  the  healing  branch  from  the  tree 
of  life.  Our  sorrows,  like  the  passing  keels  of  the  vessels 
upon  the  sea,  leave  a  silver  line  of  holy  light  behind  them, 
"  afterward."  It  is  peace,  sweet,  deep  peace,  which  fol- 
lows the  horrible  turmoil  which  once  reigned  in  our  torment- 
ed, guilty  souls.  See,  then,  the  happy  estate  of  a  Christian  ! 
He  has  his  best  things  last,  and  he  therefore  in  this  world 
receives  his  worst  things  fiirst.  But  even  his  worst  things 
are  "  afterward  "  good  things,  harsh  ploughings  yielding  joy- 
ful harvests.  Even  now  he  grows  rich  by  his  losses,  he  rises 
by  his  falls,  he  lives  by  dying,  and  becomes  full  by  being 
emptied ;  if,  then,  his  grievous  afflictions  yield  him  so  much 
peaceable  fruit  in  this  life,  what  shall  be  the  full  vintage  of 
'oy  "  afterward "  in  heaven  ?  If  his  dark  nights  are  as 
bright  as  the  world's  days,  what  shall  his  days  be  ?  If  even 
his  starlight  is  more  splendid  than  the  sun,  what  must  his 
sunlight  be  ?  If  he  can  sing  in  a  dungeon,  how  sweetly  will 
he  sing  in  heaven  !  If  he  can  praise  the  Lord  in  the  fires, 
how  will  he  extol  Him  before  the  eternal  throne  !  If  eeil 
be  good  to  him  now,  what  will  the  overflowing  goodness  of 
G  )d  be  to  him  then  f  Oh,  blessed  "  afterward  !  "  Who 
would  not  be  a  Christian  ?  Who  would  not  bear  the  present 
cross  for  the  crown  which  cometh  afterwards  ?  But  herein 
is  work  for  patience,  for  the  rest  is  not  for  to-day,  nor  the 
triumph  for  the  present,  but  "  afterward."  Wait,  0  soul, 
and  1ft  patience  have  her  perfect  work. 


140  EVENING    READINGS.  May  19 

"  And  he  requested  for  himself  thai  he  might  die." 
1  Kings  xix.  4. 

^^5/rT  was  a  remarkable  thing  that  the  man  who  was  neve; 
c^l  ^i'"^  to  die,  for  whom  God  had  ordained  an  infinitely  bet* 
y/^fe'  ^gj.  Jqj^  jjjg  jjjj^Q  ^]jQ  should  be  carried  to  heaven  in 
a  chariot  of  fire,  and  be  translate  1,  that  he  should  not  sc« 
death  —  should  thus  pray,  "  Let  me  die  ;  I  am  no  better 
than  my  fathers."  We  have  here  a  memorable  proof  that 
God  does  not  always  answer  prayer  in  kind,  though  He  al- 
ways does  in  effect.  He  gave  Elias  something  better  than 
that  which  he  asked  for,  and  thus  really  heard  arid  answered 
him.  Strange  was  it  that  the  lion-hearted  Elijah  should  be 
so  depressed  by  Jezebel's  threat  as  to  ask  to  die,  and  bless- 
edly kind  was  it  on  the  part  of  our  heavenly  Father  that 
He  did  not  take  His  desponding  servant  at  his  word.  There 
Is  a  limit  to  the  doctrine  of  the  prayer  of  faith.  We  are  not 
to  expect  that  God  will  give  us  everything  we  choose  to  ask 
for.  We  know  that  we  sometimes  ask,  and  do  not  receive, 
because  we  ask  amiss.  If  we  ask  for  that  which  is  not 
promised  —  if  we  run  counter  to  the  spirit  which  the  Lord 
would  have  us  cultivate  —  if  we  ask  contrary  to  His  will,  or 
to  the  decrees  of  His  providence  —  if  we  ask  merely  for  the 
gratification  of  our  own  ease,  and  without  an  eye  to  His 
glory,  we  must  not  expect  that  we  shall  receive.  Yet,  when 
we  ask  in  faith,  nothing  doubting,  if  we  receive  not  the  pre- 
cise thing  asked  for,  we  shall  receive  an  equivalent,  and 
more  than  an  equivalent,  for  it.  As  one  remarks,  '*  If  the 
Lord  does  not  pay  in  silver.  He  will  in  gold  ;  and  if  Ho 
does  not  pay  in  gold,  He  will  in  diamonds."  If  He  does  not 
give  you  precisely  what  you  ask  for,  He  will  give  you  tbat 
which  is  tantamount  to  it,  and  that  which  you  will  greatly 
rejoice  to  receive  in  lieu  thereof.  Be  then,  dear  reader, 
much  in  prayer,  and  make  this  eveni  ig  a  season  of  earnest 
intercession,  but  take  h-^ed  what  you  ask. 


May  20.  evening  eeadings.  141 

"  I  drew  them  with  cords  of  a  man,  with  bands  oj  love." 
Hosea  xi.  4. 

Jif^Ull  heavenly  Father  often  draws  us  with  the  cords  of 
^k  love  ;  but  ah  !  how  backward  we  are  to  run  towards 
*^^  Him  !  How  slowly  do  we  respond  to  His  gentle  im- 
pulses !  lie  draws  us  to  exercise  a  more  simple  faith  in  Him  ; 
but  we  have  not  yet  attained  to  Abraham's  confidence  ;  we 
do  not  leave  our  worldly  cares  with  God,  but,  like  Martha, 
we  cumber  ourselves  with  much  serving.  Our  meagre  faith 
brings  leanness  into  our  souls  ;  we  do  not  open  our  mouths 
wide,  though  God  has  promised  to  fill  them.  Does  He  not 
this  evening  draw  us  to  trust  Him  ?  Can  we  not  hear  Him 
say,  "  Come,  My  child,  and  trust  Me.  The  veil  is  rent ;  en- 
ter into  My  presence,  and  approach  boldly  to  the  throne  of 
My  grace.  I  am  worthy  of  thy  fullest  confidence ;  cast  thy 
cares  on  Me.  Shake  thyself  from  the  dust  of  thy  cares,  and 
put  on  thy  beautiful  garments  of  joy."  But,  alas  !  though 
called  with  tones  of  love  to  the  blessed  exercise  of  this  com- 
forting grace,  we  will  not  come.  At  another  time  He  draws 
us  to  closer  communion  with  Himself.  We  have  been  sitting 
on  the  doorstep  of  God's  house,  and  He  bids  us  advance 
into  the  banqueting  hall  and  sup  with  Him,  but  we  decline 
the  honor.  There  are  secret  rooms  not  yet  opened  to  us  ; 
Jesus  invites  us  to  enter  them,  but  we  hold  back.  Shame  on 
our  cold  hearts  !  We  are  but  poor  lovers  of  our  sweet  Lord 
Jesus,  not  fit  to  be  His  servants,  much  less  to  be  His  brides, 
and  yet  He  hath  exalted  us  to  be  bone  of  His  bone,  and  flesh 
of  his  flesh,  married  to  Him  by  a  glorious  marriage-cove- 
nant. Herein  is  love  !  But  it  is  love  which  takes  no  denial. 
If  we  obey  not  the  gentle  drawings  of  His  love.  He  will  send 
afiliction  to  drive  us  into  closer  intimacy  with  Himself.  Have 
us  nearer  He  will.  What  foolish  children  wfi  are  to  refuse 
those  bands  oriovc,  and  so  bring  upon  our  backs  that  scourge 
(tf  small  cords,  which  Jesus  knows  how  to  use  i 


A2  EVENING  KEADiNGs.  May  21 

♦'  There  is  com  in  Egypt." —  Genesis  xlii.  2. 


<w^^|^AMINE  pinched  all  the  nations,  and  it  seemed  inev- 
1^  itable  that  Jacob  and  his  family  should  suffer  greal 
want ;  but  the  God  of  providence,  who  never  forget* 
the  objects  of  electing  love,  had  stored  a  granary  fo: 
His  people  by  giving  the  Egyptians  warning  of  the  scarcity, 
and  leading  them  to  treasure  up  the  grain  of  the  years  of 
plenty.  Little  did  Jacob  expect  deliverance  from  Egypt,  bul 
there  was  the  corn  in  store  for  him.  Believer,  though  all 
things  are  apparently  against  thee,  rest  assured  that  God  has 
made  a  reservation  on  thy  behalf;  in  the  roll  of  thy  griefs 
there  is  a  saving  clause.  Somehow  He  will  deliver  thee,  and 
somewhere  He  will  provide  for  thee.  The  quarter  from 
which  thy  rescue  shall  arise  may  be  a  very  unexpected  one, 
but  help  will  assuredly  come  in  thine  extremity,  and  thou 
shalt  magnify  the  name  of  the  Lord.  If  men  do  not  feed 
thee,  ravens  shall ;  and  if  earth  yield  not  wheat,  heaven  shall 
drop  with  manna.  Therefore  be  of  good  courage,  and  rest 
quietly  in  the  Lord.  God  can  make  the  sun  rise  in  the  west 
if  He  pleases,  and  make  the  source  of  distress  the  channel 
of  delight.  The  corn  in  Egypt  was  all  in  the  hands  of  the 
beloved  Joseph  ;  he  opened  or  closed  the  granaries  at  will. 
And  so  the  riches  of  providence  are  all  in  the  absolute  power 
of  our  Lord  Jesus,  who  will  dispense  them  liberally  to  His 
people.  Joseph  was  abundantly  ready  to  succor  his  own 
family  ;  and  Jesus  is  unceasing  in  His  faithful  care  for  His 
brethren.  Our  business  is  to  go  after  the  help  which  is  pro- 
vided for  us  ;  we  must  not  sit  still  in  despondency,  but  be- 
stir ourselves.  Prayer  will  bear  us  soon  into  the  presence  of 
our  royal  Brother  :  once  before  His  throne,  we  have  only  to 
ask  and  have  :  His  stores  are  not  exhausted  ;  there  is  corn 
still :  His  heart  is  not  hard  ;  He  will  give  the  corn  to  us. 
Lord,  forgive  our  unbelief,  and  this  evening  constrain  us  to 
draw  largely  from  Thy  fulness  and  receive  grace  for  grace. 


May  22.  evening  eeadinos.  H3 

"  Behold,  Thou  art  fair,  my  Beloved." —  Canticles  i.  IG. 

<w^j3|^R0M  every  point  our  Well-Beloved  is  most  fair.  Our 
various  experiences  are  meant  by  our  heavenly  Father 
to  furnish  fresh  stand-points  from  which  we  may  view 
the  loveliness  of  Jesus  ;  how  amiable  are  our  trials, 
when  they  carry  us  aloft  where  we  may  gain  clearer  views  of 
Jesus  than  ordinary  life  could  afford  us  !  We  have  seen 
Him  from  the  top  of  Araana,  from  the  top  of  Shenir  and 
Hermon,  and  He  has  shone  upon  us  as  the  sun  in  his  strength  ; 
but  we  have  seen  Him  also  "  from  the  lions'  dens,  from  the 
mountains  of  the  leopards,"  and  He  has  lost  none  of  His 
loveliness.  From  the  languishing  of  a  sick  bed,  from  the 
borders  of  the  grave,  have  we  turned  our  eyes  to  our  soul's 
Spouse,  and  He  has  never  been  otherwise  than  "  all  fair." 
Many  of  His  saints  have  looked  upon  Him  from  the  gloom 
of  dungeons,  and  from  the  red  flames  of  the  stake,  yet  have 
they  never  uttered  an  ill  word  of  Him,  but  have  died  ex- 
tolling His  surpassing  charms.  Oh,  noble  and  pleasant  em- 
ployment to  be  forever  gazing  at  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus  !  Is 
it  not  unspeakably  delightful  to  view  the  Saviour  in  all  His 
offices,  and  to  perceive  Him  matchless  in  each?  —  to  shift 
the  kaleidoscope,  as  it  were,  and  to  find  fresh  combinations 
of  peerless  graces  ?  In  the  manger  and  in  eternity,  on  the 
cross  and  on  His  throne,  in  the  garden  and  in  His  kingdom, 
among  thieves  or  in  the  midst  of  cherubim,  He  is  every- 
where "  altogether  lovely."  Examine  carefully  every  little 
ac;  of  His  life,  and  every  trait  of  His  character,  and  He  is 
jid  iovely  in  the  minute  as  in  the  majestic.  Judge  Him  aa 
you  will,  you  cannot  censure  ;  weigh  Him  as  you  please,  and 
He  will  not  be  found  wanting.  Eternity  shall  not  discover 
the  shadow  of  a  spot  in  our  Beloved,  but  rather,  as  ages 're- 
volve. His  hidden  glories  shall  shine  forth  with  yet  more  in- 
conceivable splendor,  and  His  unutterable  loveliness  shall 
more  and  more  ravish  all  celestial  minds. 


144  EVENING  READINGS.  May  23 

"  Thou  hast  bought  me  no  sweet  cane  with  money." 
Isaiah  xliii.  24. 

IpORSHIPPERS  at  the  temple  were  wont  to  bring 
^h  presents  of  sweet  perfumes  to  be  burned  upon  the 
^^  altar  of  God  ;  but  Israel,  in  the  time  of  her  back- 
sliding, became  ungenerous,  and  made  but  few  votive  offer- 
ings to  her  Lord  :  this  was  an  evidence  of  coldness  of  heart 
towards  God  and  His  house.  Reader,  does  this  never  occur 
with  you  ?  Might  not  the  complaint  of  the  text  be  occasion- 
ally, if  not  frequently,  brought  against  you  ?  Those  who 
are  poor  in  pocket,  if  rich  in  faith,  will  be  accepted  none 
the  less  because  their  gifts  are  small ;  but,  poor  reader,  do 
you  give  in  fair  proportion  to  the  Lord,  or  is  the  widow's  mite 
kept  back  from  the  sacred  treasury  ?  The  rich  believer  should 
be  thankful  for  the  talent  intrusted  to  him,  but  should  not 
forget  his  large  responsibility,  for  where  much  is  given  much 
will  be  required  ;  but,  rich  reader,  are  you  mindful  of  your 
obligations,  and  rendering  to  the  Lord  according  to  the  ben- 
efit received  ?  Jesus  gave  His  blood  for  us  ;  what  shall  we 
give  to  Him  ?  We  are  His,  and  all  that  we  have,  for  He  has 
purchased  us  unto  Himself — can  we  act  as  if  we  were  our 
own  ?  Oh  for  more  consecration  !  and  to  this  end,  oh  for 
more  love  !  Blessed  Jesus,  how  good  it  is  of  Thee  to  ac- 
cept our  sweet  cane  bought  with  money  !  nothing  is  too 
costly  as  a  tribute  to  Thine  unrivalled  love,  and  yet  Thou 
dost  receive  with  favor  the  smallest  sincere  token  of  affec- 
tion !  Thou  dost  receive  our  poor  forget-me-nots  and  love- 
tokens,  as  though  they  were  intrinsically  precious,  though 
iadeed  they  are  but  as  the  bunch  of  wild  flowers  which  the 
child  brings  to  its  mother.  Never  may  we  grow  niggardly 
towards  Thee,  and  from  this  hour  never  may  we  hear  Thee 
complain  of  us  again  for  withholding  the  gifts  of  our  love 
W  e  will  give  Thee  the  first  fruits  of  our  increase,  and  pay 
Thee  tithes  of  all,  and  then  we  will  confess  "  of  Thine  own 
have  we  given  Thee." 


May  24.         evening  readings.  145 

"  Only  let  your  conversation  be  as  it  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ." 
Philippians  i.  27. 

^^HE  word  "  conversation  "  does  not  merely  mean  our 
talk  and  converse  with  one  another,  but  the  whole 
coarse  of  our  life  and  behavior  in  the  world.  The 
Greek  word  signifies  tfie  actions  and  the  privileges  of  citi- 
zenship :  and  thus  we  are  commanded  to  let  our  actions,  as 
citizens  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  be  such  as  becometh  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  What  sort  of  conversation  is  this  ?  In  the 
first  place,  the  gospel  is  very  simple.  So  Christians  should  be 
simple  and  plain  in  their  habits.  There  should  be  about  our 
manner,  our  speech,  our  dress,  our  whole  behavior,  that  sim- 
plicity which  is  the  very  soul  of  beauty.  The  gospel  is  pre- 
eminently true,  it  is  gold  without  dross ;  and  the  Christian's 
life  will  be  lustreless  and  valueless  without  the  jewel  of 
truth.  The  gospel  is  a  very  fearless  gospel,  it  boldly  pro- 
claims the  truth,  whether  men  like  it  or  not :  we  must  be 
equally  faithful  and  unflinching.  But  the  gospel  is  also  very 
gentle.  Mark  this  spirit  in  i,ts  Founder :  "  A  bruised  reed 
He  will  not  break."  Some  professors  are  sharper  than  a 
thorn-hedge  ;  such  men  are  not  like  Jesus.  Let  us  seek  to 
win  others  by  the  gentleness  of  our  words  and  acts.  The 
gospel  is  very  loving.  It  is  the  message  of  the  God  of  love 
to  a  lost  and  fallen  race.  Christ's  last  command  to  His  dis- 
ciples was,  "  Love  one  another."  0  for  more  real,  hearty 
mion  and  love  to  all  the  saints  ;  for  more  tender  compassion 
towards  the  souls  of  the  worst  and  vilest  of  men  !  We  must 
not  forget  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  is  holy.  It  never  excuses 
sin:  it  pardons  it,  but  only  through  an  atonement.  If  our 
life  is  to  resemble  the  gospel,  we  must  shun  not  merely  the 
grosser  vices,  but  everything  that  would  hinder  our  perfect 
conformity  to  Christ.  For  His  sake,  for  our  own  sakes,  and 
for  the  sake  of  others,  we  must  strive  day  by  day  to  let  our 
conversation  be  more  iu  accordance  with  His  gospel. 
13 


146  EVENING    KEADINGS.  May  25 


•'  And  they  rose  up  the  same  hour,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem,  .  .  . 
and  they  told  what  things  were  done  in  the  way,  and  how  Hi 
was  known  of  them"  —  Luke  xxiv.  33,  35. 

L^HEN  the  two  disciples  had  reached  Emniaus,  and  were 
refreshing  themselves  at  the  evening  meal,  the  mys- 
terious stranger  who  had  so  emchanted  them  upon  the 
road,  took  bread  and  brake  it,  made  Himself  known  to  them, 
and  then  vanished  out  of  their  sight.  They  had  constrained 
Him  to  abide  with  them,  because  the  day  was  far  spent ;  but 
now,  although  it  was  much  later,  their  love  was  a  lamp  to  their 
feet,  yea,  wings  also ;  they  forgot  the  darkness,  their  weari- 
ness was  all  gone,  and  forthwith  they  journeyed  back  the 
threescore  furlongs  to  tell  the  gladsome  news  of  a  risen  Lord, 
who  had  appeared  to  them  by  the  way.  They  reached  the 
Christians  in  Jerusalem,  and  were  received  by  a  burst  of  joy- 
ful news  before  they  could  tell  their  own  tale.  These  early 
Christians  were  all  on  fire  to  speak  of  Christ's  resurrection, 
and  to  proclaim  what  they  knew  of  the  Lord  ;  they  made  com- 
mon property  of  their  experiences.  This  evening  let  their 
example  impress  us  deeply.  We  too  must  bear  our  witness 
concerning  Jesus.  John's  account  of  the  sepulchre  needed  to 
be  supplemented  by  Peter ;  and  Mary  could  speak  of  some- 
thing further  still ;  combined,  we  have  a  full  testimony  from 
which  nothing  can  be  spared.  We  have  each  of  us  peculiar 
gifts  and  special  manifestations  ;  but  the  one  object  God  ha.-f 
ia  view  is,  the  perfecting  of  the  whole  body  of  Christ.  We 
must,  therefore,  bring  our  spiritual  possessions  and  lay  them 
at  the  apostles'  feet,  and  make  distribution  unto  all  of  what 
God  has  given  to  us.  Keep  back  no  part  of  the  precious  truth, 
but  speak  what  you  know,  and  testify  what  you  have  eeen. 
Let  not  the  toil,  or  darkness,  or  possible  unbelief  of  your 
friends,  weigh  one  moment  in  the  scale.  Up,  and  be  march- 
ing to  the  place  of  duty,  and  there  tell  what  great  ihing* 
God  has  shown  to  your  soul. 


May  26.  evening  headings.  147 

"  Continue  in  the  faith."  —  Acts  xiv.  22. 

Kjj5pERSEVp]RANCE  is  the  badge  of  true  saints.  Tho 
I  ^i  (^I'ristian  life  is  not  a  hetjinning  only  in  the  ways  of 
r^^  Cod,  but  also  a  continuance  in  the  same  as  long  as 
life  lasts.  It  is  with  a  Christian  as  it  was  with  the 
groat  Napoleon  :  he  said,  "  Conquest  has  raade  me  what  I 
am,  and  conquest  must  maintain  me."  So,  under  God,  dear 
brother  in  the  Lord,  conquest  has  made  you  what  you  are, 
and  conquest  must  sustain  you.  Your  motto  must  be,  "  Ex- 
celsior." He  only  is  a  true  conqueror,  and  shall  be  crowned 
at  the  last,  who  continueth  till  war's  trumpet  is  blown  no 
more.  Perseverance  is,  therefore,  the  target  of  all  our  spirit- 
ual enemies.  The  world  does  not  object  to  your  being  a 
Christian  for  a  time,  if  she  can  but  tempt  you  to  cease  your 
pilgrimage,  and  settle  down  to  buy  and  sell  with  her  in  Van- 
ity Fair.  The  flesh  will  seek  to  insnare  you,  and  to  prevent 
your  pressing  on  to  glory.  "  It  is  weary  work  being  a  pil- 
grim ;  come,  give  it  up.  Am  I  always  to  be  mortified  ? 
Am  I  never  to  be  indulged  ?  Give  me  at  least  a  fur- 
lough from  this  constant  warfare."  Satan  will  make  many 
a  fierce  attack  on  your  perseverance  ;  it  will  be  the  mark 
for  all  his  arrows.  He  will  strive  to  hinder  you  in  service  : 
he  will  insinuate  that  you  are  doing  no  good,  and  that  you 
want  rest.  He  will  endeavor  to  make  you  weary  of  suf- 
firing.  He  will  whisper,  "  Curse  God,  and  die."  Or  he 
will  attack  your  steadfastness :  "  What  is  the  good  of  being 
80  zealous  ?  Be  quiet,  like  the  rest ;  sleep  as  do  others,  and 
let  your  lamp  go  out,  as  the  other  virgins  do."  Or  he  will 
issail  your  doctrinal  sentiments  :  "  Why  do  you  hold  to  these 
denominational  creeds  ?  Sensible  men  are  getting  more 
liberal ;  they  are  removing  the  old  landmarks :  fall  in  with 
the  times."  Wear  your  shield,  Christian,  therefore,  close 
upon  your  armor,  and  cry  mightily  unto  God,  that  by  Hib 
Spirit  you  may  endure  to  the  end. 


148  KVKNiNG  READINGS.  May  27. 

"  What  is  thy  servant,  that  thou  shoiddcst  hok  upon  such  a  dead 
dog  as  I  ain9  "  —  2  Samue.  ix.  8. 

f'j/fF  Mepliibosheth  was  thus  humbled  by  David's  kind- 
wj  ness,  what-shall  we  be  in  the  presence  of  our  gracious 
^  Lord?  The  more  grace  we  have,  the  less  we  shall 
think  of  ourselves,  for  grace,  like  light,  reveals  our  impurity. 
Eminent  saints  have  scarcely  known  to  what  to  compare 
themselves,  their  sense  of  unworthiness  has  been  so  clear 
and  keen.  "  I  am,"  says  holy  Rutherford,  "  a  dry  and  with- 
ered bran«li,  a  piece  of  dead  carcass,  dry  bones,  and  not  able 
to  step  over  a  straw."  In  another  place  he  writes,  "  Except 
as  to  open  outbreakings,  I  want  nothing  of  what  Judas  and 
Cain  had."  The  meanest  objects  in  nature  appear  to  the 
humble  mind  to  have  a  preference  above  itself,  because  they 
have  never  contracted  sin  :  a  dog  may  be  greedy,  fierce,  or 
filthy,  but  it  has  no  conscience  to  violate,  no  Holy  Spirit  to 
resist.  A  dog  may  be  a  worthless  animal,  and  yet  by  a  little 
kindness  it  is  soon  won  to  love  its  master,  and  is  faithful  unto 
death  ;  but  we  forget  the  goodness  of  the  Lord,  and  follow 
not  at  His  call.  The  term  "  dead  dog  "  is  the  most  expres- 
sive of  all  terms  of  contempt,  but  it  is  none  too  strong  to 
express  the  self-abhorrence  of  instructed  believers.  They 
do  not  affect  mock  modesty ;  they  mean  what  they  say ;  they 
have  weighed  themselves  in  the  balances  of  the  sanctuary, 
and  found  out  the  vanity  of  their  nature.  At  best,  we  are 
but  clay,  animated  dust,  mere  walking  hillocks ;  but  viewed 
as  sinners,  we  are  monsters  indeed.  Let  it  be  published  in 
heaven  as  a  wonder,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  should  set  His 
heart's  love  upon  such  as  we  are.  Dust  and  ashes  though 
we  be,  we  must  and  will  "  magnify  the  exceeding  greatness 
of  His  grace."  Could  not  His  heart  find  rest  in  heaven  ? 
Must  He  needs  come  to  these  tents  of  Kedar  for  a  spouse. 
and  choose  a  bride  upon  whom  the  sun  had  looked  ?  0 
heavens  and  earth,  brfak  forth  into  a  soug,  and  give  aU 
glory  to  oar  sweet  Lord  Jesus. 


May  28  evening  readings.  1 19 

**  This  I  recall  to  my  mind,  therefore  have  I  hope."  —  Lam.  iii.  21. 

P|?R)EMORY  is  frequently  the  bond-slave  of  despondency. 
Despairing  minds  call  to  remembrance  every  dark 
foreboding  in  the  past,  and  dilate  upon  every  glooniv 
feature  in  the  present ;  thus  memory,  clothed  in  sackcloth, 
presents  to  the  mind  a  cup  of  mingled  gall  and  wormwood 
There  is,  however,  no  necessity  for  this.  Wisdom  can  readi- 
ly transform  memory  into  an  angel  of  comfort.  That  same 
recollection,  which  in  its  left  hand  brings  so  many  gloom} 
oraens,  may  be  trained  to  bear  in  its  right  a  wealth  of  hopeful 
signs.  She  need  not  wear  a  crown  of  iron  ;  she  may  encircle 
her  brow  with  a  fillet  of  gold,  all  spangled  with  stars.  Thus 
it  was  in  Jeremiah's  experience  :  in  the  previous  verse  mem- 
ory had  brought  him  to  deep  humiliation  of  soul  :  "  My  soul 
hath  them  still  in  remembrance,  and  is  humbled  in  me  ;  "  and 
now  this  same  memory  restored  him  to  life  and  comfort. 
"  This  I  recall  to  my  mind,  therefore  have  I  hope."  Like  a 
two-edged  sword,  his  memory  first  killed  his  pride  with  one 
edge,  and  then  slew  his  despair  with  the  other.  As  a  general 
principle,  if  we  would  exercise  our  memories  more  wisely,  we 
might,  in  our  very  darkest  distress,  strike  a  match  which 
would  instantaneously  kindle  the  lamp  of  comfort.  There  is 
no  need  for  God  to  create  a  new  thing  upon  the  earth  in  order 
to  restore  believers  to  joy ;  if  they  would  prayerfully  rake 
the  ashes  of  the  past,  they  would  find  light  for  the  present ; 
and  if  they  would  turn  to  the  book  of  truth  and  the  throne  of 
grace,  their  candle  would  soon  shine  as  aforetime.  Be  it  ours  to 
remember  the  loving-kindnesses  of  the  Lord,  and  to  rehearse 
His  deeds  of  grace.  Let  us  open  the  volume  of  recollection 
which  is  so  richly  illuminated  with  memorials  of  mercy,  and 
we  shall  soon  be  happy.  Thus  memory  may  be,  as  Cole- 
ridge calls  it,  "the  bosom-spring  of  joy;"  and  when  the 
Divine  Comforter  beuds  it  to  His  service,  it  may  be  chief 
among  earthly  comforters. 
13* 


l&O  EVENING    READINGS.  May  29. 

. I , 

"  Cursed  be  the  man  before  the  Lord,  that  riseth  up  and  buildeth 
this  city  Jericho."  —  Joshua  vi.  26. 

,,^ii^(i5INCE  he  was  cursed  who  rebuilt  Jericho,  much  more 


the  man  who  labors  to  restore  Popery  among  us.  In 
our  fathers'  days  the  gigantic  walls  of  Popery  fell  by 
the  power  of  their  faith,  the  perseverance  of  their  efiPorts,  and 
the  blast  of  their  gospel  trumpets ;  and  now  there  are  some 
who  would  rebuild  that  accursed  system  upon  its  old  founda- 
tions. 0  Lord,  be  pleased  to  thwart  their  unrighteous  en- 
deavors, and  pull  down  every  stone  which  they  build.  It 
should  be  a  serious  business  with  us  to  be  thoroughly  purged 
of  every  error  which  may  have  a  tendency  to  foster  the  spirit 
of  Popery,  and  when  we  have  made  a  clean  sweep  at  home, 
we  should  seek  in  every  way  to  oppose  its  all  too  rapid  spread 
abroad  in  the  church  and  in  the  world.  This  last  can  be  done 
in  secret  by  fervent  prayer,  and  in  public  by  decided  testi- 
mony. We  must  warn  with  judicious  boldness  those  who  aro 
inclined  towards  the  errors  of  Rome ;  we  must  instruct  the 
young  in  gospel  truth,  and  tell  them  of  the  black  doings  of 
Popery  in  the  olden  times.  We  must  aid  in  spreading  the 
light  more  thoroughly  through  the  land,  for  priests,  like  owls, 
hate  daylight.  Are  we  doing  all  we  can  for  Jesus  and  the 
gospel  ?  If  not,  our  negligence  plays  into  the  hands  of 
priestcraft.  What  are  we  doing  to  spread  the  Bible,  which 
i;  the  Pope's  bane  and  poison  ?  Are  we  casting  abroad 
good,  sound  gospel  writings  ?  Luther  once  said,  "  The 
devil  hates  goose  quills,"  and,  doubtless,  he  has  good  reason, 
for  ready  writers,  by  the  Holy  Spirit's  blessing,  have  done 
hia  kingdom  much  damage.  If  the  thousands  who  will  read 
.his  short  word  this  night  will  do  all  they  can  to  hinder  the 
rebuilding  of  this  accursed  Jericho,  the  Lord's  glory  shall 
speed  among  the  sons  of  men.  Reader,  what  can  you  do? 
What  will  you  do  ? 


May  30.  evening  readings.  151 

"  That  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin."  —  Romans  vi.  6. 

?«^,f,HRISTIAN,  what  hast  thou  to  do  with  sin  ?  Hath  it 
i'yl  not  cost  thee  enntujh  ahead ijf  Burnt  child,  wilt  thou 
'^^^''^^  play  with  the  fire  ?  What !  when  thou  hast  already 
been  between  the  jaws  of  the  lion,  wilt  thou  step  a  second 
time  into  his  den  ?  Hast  thou  not  had  enough  of  the  old  ser- 
pent ?  Did  he  not  poison  all  thy  veins  once,  and  wilt  thou 
play  upon  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  put  thy  hand  upon  the 
cockatrice'  den  a  second  time  ?  Oh,  be  not  so  mad  !  so  fool- 
ish !  Did  sin  ever  yield  thee  real  pleasure  ?  Didst  thou  fi:id 
solid  satisfaction  in  it  ?  If  so,  go  back  to  thine  old  drudgery, 
and  wear  the  chain  again,  if  it  delight  thee.  But  inasmuch 
as  sin  did  never  give  thee  what  it  promised  to  bestow,  but 
deluded  thee  with  lies,  be  not  a  second  time  snared  by  the 
old  fowler  —  be  free,  and  let  the  remembrance  of  thy  ancient 
bondage  forbid  thee  to  enter  the  net  again  !  It  is  contrary 
to  the  designs  of  eternal  love,  which  all  have  an  eye  to  thy 
purity  and  holiness ;  therefore  run  not  counter  to  the  pur- 
poses of  thy  Lord.  Another  thought  should  restrain  thee 
from  sin.  Christians  can  never  sin  cheaply  ;  they  pay  a  heavy 
price  for  iniquity.  Transgression  destroys  peace  of  mind, 
obscures  fellowship  with  Jesus,  hinders  prayer,  brings  dark- 
ness over  the  soul ;  therefore  be  not  the  serf  and  bondman 
of  sin.  There  is  yet  a  higher  argument :  each  time  you 
"  serve  sin,"  you  have  "  crucified  the  Lord  afresh,  and  put 
Him  to  an  open  shame."  Can  you  bear  that  thought  ?  Oh, 
if  you  have  fallen  into  any  special  sin  during  this  day,  it  may 
be  my  Master  has  sent  this  admonition  this  evening  to  bring 
you  back  before  you  have  backslidden  very  far.  Turn  thee 
to  Jesus  anew ;  He  has  not  forgotten  His  love  to  thee  ;  His 
grace  is  still  the  same.  With  weeping  and  repentance,  come 
thou  to  His  footstool,  and  thou  shall  be  once  more  received 
into  His  heart;  thou  shalt  be  set  upon  a  rock  again,  and  thj 
goings  shall  ^e  established. 


152  EVENING    READINGS  May  31. 


"  Who  healeth  all  thy  diseases."  —  Psaim  ciii.  3. 

p^^UMBLING  as  is  the  statement,  yet  the  fact  is  certain, 
kal^^  that  we  are  all  more  or  less  suffering  under  the  dis- 
'^'*^  ease  of  sin.  What  a  comfort  to  know  that  we  have 
a  great  Physician  who  is  both  able  and  willing  to  heal  us ! 
Let  us  think  of  Him  a  while  to-night.  His  cures  are  very 
tpeedy  —  there  is  life  in  a  look  at  Him;  His  cures  are  radi- 
cal—  He  strikes  at  the  centre  of  the  disease  ;  and  hence.  His 
cures  are  sure  and  certain.  He  never  fails,  and  the  disease 
never  returns.  There  is  no  relapse  where  Christ  heals  ;  no 
fear  that  His  patients  should  be  merely  patched  up  for  a 
season  ;  He  makes  new  men  of  them  :  a  new  heart  also  does 
He  give  them,  and  a  right  spirit  does  He  put  within  them. 
He  is  well  skilled  in  all  diseases.  Physicians  generally  have 
some  specialite.  Although  they  may  know  a  little  about  al- 
most all  our  pains  and  ills,  there  is  usually  one  disease  which 
they  have  studied  above  all  others  ;  but  Jesus  Christ  is  thor- 
oughly acquainted  with  the  whole  of  human  nature.  He  is 
as  much  at  home  with  one  sinner  as  with  another,  and  never 
yet  did  He  meet  with  an  out-of-the-way  case  that  was  difficult 
to  Him.  He  has  had  extraordinary  complications  of  strange 
diseases  to  deal  with,  but  He  has  known  exactly  with  one 
glance  of  His  eye  how  to  treat  the  patient.  He  is  the  only 
universal  doctor  ;  and  the  medicine  He  gives  is  the  only  true 
catholicon,  healing  in  every  instance.  Whatever  our  spirit- 
ual malady  may  be,  we  should  apply  at  once  to  this  Divine 
Physician.  There  is  no  brokenness  of  heart  which  Jesus 
cannot  bind  up.  "  His  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin."  W^e 
have  but  to  think  of  the  myriads  who  have  been  delivered 
from  all  sorts  of  diseases  through  the  power  and  virtue  of 
His  touch,  and  we  shall  joyfully  put  ourselves  in  His  hands. 
We  trust  Him,  and  sin  dies ;  we  love  Him,  and  grace  lives ; 
we  wait  for  him,  and  grace  is  strengthened;  we  see  Him  as 
He  is,  and  grace  is  perfected  forever. 


June   1.  EVENING    EEADIN08.  153 


"  lie  will  viake  Iter  wilderness  like  Eden."  —  Isaiah  li,  3. 


6?^|?R)ETHINKS  I  see  in  vision  a  howling  wilderness,  a  grea^ 
qI1|;K  and  terrible  desert,  like  to  the  Sahara.  I  perceive 
^^*^  nothing  in  it  to  relieve  the  eye  ;  all  around  I  am  wea- 
ried with  a  vision  of  hot  and  arid  sand,  strewn  with  ten  thou- 
sand bleaching  Siceletons  of  wretched  men  who  have  expired 
in  anguish,  having  lost  their  way  in  the  pitiless  waste.  What 
an  appalling  sight !  How  horrible  !  a  sea  of  sand  without  a 
bound,  and  without  an  oasis,  a  cheerless  graveyard  for  a  race 
forlorn!  But  behold  and  wonder  !  Upon  a  sudden,  upspring- 
ing  from  the  scorching  sand  I  see  a  plant  of  renown  ;  and  as 
it  grows  it  buds,  the  bud  expands  —  it  is  a  rose,  and  at  its 
side  a  lily  bows  its  modest  head  ;  and,  miracle  of  miracles  ! 
as  the  fragrance  of  those  flowers  is  diff"used,  the  wilderness  is 
transformed  into  a  fruitful  field,  and  all  around  it  blossoms 
exceedingly,  the  glory  of  Lebanon  is  given  unto  it,  the  ex- 
cellency of  Carmel  and  Sharon.  Call  it  not  Sahara,  call  it 
Paradise.  Speak  not  of  it  any  longer  as  the  valley  of  death- 
shade,  for  where  the  skeletons  lay  bleaching  in  the  sun,  be- 
hold a  resurrection  is  proclaimed,  and  up  spring  the  dead,  a 
mighty  army,  full  of  life  immortal.  Jesus  is  that  plant  of 
renown,  and  His  presence  makes  all  things  new.  Nor  is  the 
wonder  less  in  each  individual's  salvation.  Yonder  I  behold 
you,  dear  reader,  cast  out,  an  infant,  unswathed,  unwashed, 
defiled  with  your  own  blood,  left  to  be  food  for  beasts  of 
prey.  But  lo,  a  jewel  has  been  thrown  into  your  bosom  by  a 
divine  hand,  and  for  its  sake  you  have  been  pitied  and  tend- 
ed by  divine  providence,  you  are  washed  and  cleansed  from 
your  defilement,  you  are  adopted  into  heaven's  family,  the 
fair  seal  of  love  is  upon  your  forehead,  and  the  ring  of  faith- 
fulness is  on  your  hand — you  are  now  a  prince  unto  God, 
though  once  an  orphan,  cast  away.  Oh,  prize  exceedingly  thfl 
matchless  power  and  grace  which  changes  deserts  into  gar* 
dens,  and  makes  the  barren  heart  to  sing  for  joy. 


154  EVENING  HEADINGS.  June  2 

"  Oood  Master."  —  Matthew  xix.  16. 

^^^F  the  young  man  in  the  gospel  used  this  title  in  speak- 
^.1  CT^  ing  to  our  Lord,  how  much  more  fitly  may  I  thus  ad- 
y/^Rky  dress  Him!  He  is  indeed  my  Master  in  both  senses, 
a  ruling  Master  and  a  teaching  Master.  I  delight  to  run  upon 
His  errands,  and  to  sit  at  His  feet.  I  am  both  His  servant 
and  His  disciple,  and  count  it  my  highest  honor  to  own  the 
double  character.  If  He  should  ask  me  why  I  call  Him 
"  good"  I  should  have  a  ready  answer.  It  is  true  that 
"  there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is,  God  ;  "  but  then  He  is 
God,  and  all  the  goodness  of  Deity  shines  forth  in  Him.  In 
my  experience,  I  have  found  Him  good,  so  good,  indeed, 
that  all  the  good  I  have  has  come  to  me  through  Him 
He  was  good  to  me  when  I  was  dead  in  sin,  for  He  raised 
me  by  His  Spirit's  power  ;  He  has  been  good  to  me  in  all 
my  needs,  trials,  struggles,  and  sorrows.  Never  could  there 
be  a  better  Master,  for  His  service  is  freedom.  His  rule  is 
love  :  I  wish  I  were  one  thousandth  part  as  good  a  servant. 
When  He  teaches  me  as  my  Eabbi,  He  is  unspeakably  good, 
His  doctrine  is  divine.  His  manner  is  condescending,  His 
spirit  is  gentleness  itself.  No  error  mingles  with  His  in- 
struction—  pure  is  the  golden  truth  which  He  brings  forth, 
and  all  His  teachings  lead  to  goodness,  sanctifying  as  well  as 
edifying  the  disciple.  Angels  find  Him  a  good  Master,  and 
delight  to  pay  their  homage  at  His  footstool.  The  ancient 
saints  proved  Him  to  be  a  good  Master,  and  each  of  them 
rejoiced  to  sing,  "  I  am  Thy  servant,  0  Lord!  "  My  own 
humble  testimony  must  certainly  be  to  the  same  efi"ect.  1 
will  bear  this  witness  before  my  friends  and  neighbors,  for 
possibly  they  may  be  led  by  my  testimony  to  seek  my  Lord 
Jesus  as  their  Master.  Oh  that  they  would  do  so !  They 
would  never  repent  so  wise  a  deed.  If  they  would  but  take 
His  easy  yoke,  they  would  find  themselves  in  so  royal  > 
Bcrvice  that  they  would  enlist  in  it  forever. 


June  3  EVENING    REAOINGS.  15J 


^  He  humbled  Ilimself"  —  Philippians  ii.  8. 


^I'^'^ESUS  is  the  great  teacher  of  lowliness  of  heart.  We 
fell^l  need  daily  to  learn  of  Him.  See  the  Master  taking 
^^^"^  a  towel  and  washing  His  disciples' feet !  Follower 
of  Christ,  wilt  thou  not  humble  thyself?  See  Him  as  the 
Servant  of  servants,  and  surely  thou  canst  not  be  proud  ! 
Is  not  this  sentence  the  compendium  of  His  biography,  "  He 
humbled  Himself"  ?  Was  He  not  on  earth  always  stripping 
off  first  one  robe  of  honor,  and  then  another,  till,  naked,  He 
was  fastened  to  the  cross  ?  and  there  did  He  not  empty  out  His 
inmost  self,  pouring  out  His  life-blood,  giving  up  for  all  of  us, 
till  they  laid  Him  penniless  in  a  borrowed  grave  ?  How  low 
was  our  dear  Redeemer  brought !  How,  then,  can  we  be 
proud  ?  Stand  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  count  the  purple 
drops  by  which  you  have  been  cleansed  ;  see  the  thorn-crown  ; 
mark  His  scourged  shoulders,  still  gushing  with  encrimsoned 
rills  ;  see  hands  and  feet  given  up  to  the  rough  iron,  and  His 
whole  self  to  mockery  and  scorn  ;  see  the  bitterness,  and  the 
pangs,  and  the  throes  of  inward  grief,  showing  themselves  in 
His  outward  frame  ;  hear  the  thrilling  shriek,  "  My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me  ? '•  And  if  you  do  not  lie 
prostrate  on  the  ground  before  that  cross,  you  have  never  seen 
it:  if  you  are  not  humbled  in  the  presence  of  Jesus,  you  do 
not  know  Him.  You  were  so  lost  that  nothing  could  save  you 
but  the  sacrifice  of  God's  only  begotten.  Think  of  that,  and 
as  Jesus  stooped  for  you,  bow  yourself  in  lowliness  at  His 
feet.  A  sense  of  Christ's  amazing  love  to  us  has  a  greater 
tendency  to  humble  us  than  even  a  consciousness  of  our  own 
guilt.  May  the  Lord  bring  us  in  contemplation  to  Calvary, 
then  our  position  will  no  longer  be  that  of  the  pompous  man 
of  pride,  but  we  shall  take  the  humble  place  of  one  who  loves 
much  because  much  has  been  forgiven  him.  Pride  cannot 
Hve  beneath  the  cross.  Let  us  sit  there  and  learn  our  lessoik 
And  then  rise  and  carry  it  into  practice. 


156  EVENING  READINGS.         June  4 

"  Received  up  into  glory."  —  1  Timothy  iii.  16. 

|^|?|i|E  have  seen  our  well-beloved  Lord,  in  the  days  of  Hia 
(mh  flesh,  humiliated  and  sore  vexed ;  for  He  was  "  de- 
^  spised  and  rejected  of  men,  a  man  of  sorrows,  and 
acquainted  with  grief."  He  whose  brigntness  is  as  the  morn- 
ing, wore  the  sackcloth  of  sorrow  as  His  daily  dress  :  shame 
was  His  mantle,  and  reproach  was  His  vesture.  Yet  now, 
inasmuch  as  He  has  triumphed  over  all  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness upon  the  bloody  tree,  our  faith  beholds  our  King  re- 
turning with  dyed  garments  from  Edom,  robed  in  the  splen- 
dor of  victory.  How  glorious  must  He  have  been  in  the  eyes 
of  seraphs,  when  a  cloud  received  Him  out  of  mortal  sight, 
and  He  ascended  up  to  heaven  !  Now  He  wears  the  glory 
which  He  had  with  God  or  ever  the  earth  was,  and  yet  an- 
other glory  above  all  —  that  which  He  has  well  earned  in  the 
fight  against  sin,  death,  and  hell.  As  victor  He  wears  the 
illustrious  crown.  Hark  how  the  song  swells  high  !  It  is  a 
new  and  sweeter  song  :  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain, 
for  He  hath  redeemed  us  unto  God  by  His  blood !  "  He 
wears  the  glory  of  an  Intercessor  who  can  never  fail,  of  a 
Prince  who  can  never  be  defeated,  of  a  Conqueror  who  has 
vanquished  every  foe,  of  a  Lord  who  has  the  heart's  alle- 
giance of  every  subject.  Jesus  wears  all  the  glory  which  the 
pomp  of  heaven  can  bestow  upon  Him,  which  ten  thousand 
times  ten  thousand  angels  can  minister  to  Him.  You  cannot 
with  your  utmost  stretch  of  imagination  conceive  His  exceed- 
ing greatness :  yet  there  will  be  a  further  revelation  of  it 
when  He  shall  descend  from  heaven  in  great  power,  with  all 
the  holy  angels  —  "  Then  shall  He  sit  upon  the  throne  of  His 
glory."  Oh,  the  splendor  of  that  glory  !  It  will  ravish  Hia 
people's  hearts.  Nor  is  this  the  close,  for  eternity  shall 
sound  His  praise,  "Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  forever  and 
ever  ! "  Reader,  if  you  would  joy  in  Christ's  glory  hero- 
after,  He  must  be  glorious  in  your  sight  now.     Is  he  so  ? 


June  5.         EVENING  readings.  157 

"  lie  that  loveth  not,  knoweih  not  God."  —  1  John  iv.  8. 


^IIE  distinguishing  mark  of  a  Christian  is  his  confi- 
L'l)^  dence  in  the  love  of  Christ,  and  the  yielding  of  hia 
^"^  affections  to  Christ  in  return.  First,  faith  sets  her 
seal  upon  the  man  by  enabling  the  soul  to  say  with  the  apos- 
tle, "  Christ  loved  me  and  gave  Himself  for  me."  Then  love 
gives  the  countersign,  and  stamps  upon  the  heart  gratitude 
and  love  to  Jesus  in  return.  "  We  love  Him  because  He  first 
loved  us."  In  those  grand  old  ages,  which  are  the  horoic 
period  of  the  Christian  religion,  this  double  mark  was  clearly 
to  be  seen  in  all  believers  in  Jesus ;  they  were  men  who 
knew  the  love  of  Christ,  and  rested  upon  it  as  a  man  leaneth 
upon  a  staff  whose  trustiness  he  has  tried.  The  love  which 
they  felt  towards  the  Lord  was  not  a  quiet  emotion  which 
they  hid  within  themselves  in  the  secret  chamber  of  their 
souls,  and  which  they  only  spake  of  in  their  private  assem- 
blies when  they  met  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  sang 
hymns  in  honor  of  Christ  Jesus  the  crucified,  but  it  was  a  pas- 
sion with  them  of  such  a  vehement  and  all-consuming  energy, 
that  it  was  visible  in  their  actions,  spoke  in  their  common 
talk,  and  looked  out  of  their  eyes  even  in  their  commonest 
glances.  Love  to  Jesus  was  a  flame  which  fed  upon  the  core 
and  heart  of  their  being ;  and,  therefore,  from  its  own  force 
burned  its  way  into  the  outer  man,  and  shone  there.  Zeal  for 
the  glory  of  King  Jesus  was  the  seal  and  mark  of  all  genuine 
Christians.  Because  of  their  dependence  upon  Christ's  love 
they  dared  much,  and  because  of  their  love  to  Christ  they  did 
much,  and  it  is  the  same  now.  The  children  of  God  are  ruled 
in  their  inmost  powers  by  love  —  the  love  of  Christ  constrain- 
eth  them  ;  they  rejoice  that  divine  love  is  set  upon  them,  they 
feel  it  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is 
given  unto  them,  and  then  by  force  of  gratitude  they  love  the 
Saviour  with  a  pure  heart,  fervently.  My  reader,  do  you  love 
Him  ?  Ere  you  sleep  give  an  honest  answer  to  a  weighty  quea> 
tion.  14 


158  ETENING  READINGS.  JuDC  6 

"Jre  they  Israelites?  so  am  I." — 2  Corinthians  xi.  22. 


isM 


^,E  have  here  A  tersonai  claim,  and  one  that  needs 
proof.  The  apostle  knew  that  his  claim  was  indis- 
putable, but  there  are  many  persons  who  havo  no 
right  to  the  title  who  y3t  claim  to  belong  to  the  Israel  of  God. 
If  we  are  with  confidence  declaring,  "  So  am  I  alsc  an  Isia- 
elite,"  let  us  only  say  it  after  having  searched  our  heart  aa 
in  the  presence  of  God.  But  if  we  can  give  proof  that  we 
are  following  Jesus,  if  we  can  from  the  heart  say,  "  I  trust 
Him  wholly,  trust  Him  only,  trust  Him  simply,  trust  Him 
now,  and  trust  Him  ever,"  then  the  position  which  the  saints 
of  God  hold  belongs  to  us  —  all  their  enjoyments  are  our 
possessions  ;  we  may  be  the  very  least  in  Israel,  "  less  than 
the  least  of  all  saints,"  yet  since  the  mercies  of  God  belong 
to  the  saints  as  saints,  and  not  as  advanced  saints,  or  well- 
taught  saints,  we  may  put  in  our  plea,  and  say,  "  Are  they 
Israelites  ?  so  am  I ;  therefore  the  promises  are  mine,  grace 
is  mine,  glory  will  be  mine."  The  claim,  rightfully  made, 
is  one  which  will  yield  untold  comfort.  When  God's  people 
are  rejoicing  that  they  are  His,  what  a  happiness  if  I  can 
say,  "  So  am  I "  !  When  they  speak  of  being  pardoned 
and  justified,  and  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  how  joyful  t« 
respond,  "  Through,  the  grace  of  God  so  am  I"!  But  this 
claim  not  only  has  its  enjoyments  and  privileges,  but  also 
its  conditions  and  duties.  We  must  share  with  God's  peo- 
ple in  cloud  as  well  as  in  sunshine.  When  we  hear  them 
spoken  of  with  contempt  and  ridicule  for  being  Christians, 
we  must  come  boldly  forward  and  say,  "  So  am  I."  When 
we  see  them  working  for  Christ,  giving  their  time,  their 
talent,  their  whole  heart  to  Jesus,  we  must  be  able  to 
say,  "  So  do  I."  Oh,  let  us  prove  our  gratitude  by  our 
devotion,  and  live  as  those  who,  having  claimed  a  privi- 
lege, are  willing  to  take  the  responsibility  connected  with  it 


June  7.  EVENING    READINGS.  159 

*'  Be  zealous."  —  Kevelation  iii.  19. 


m 


^F  you  would  see  souls  converted  ;  if  you  would  hear 
c^  the  cry  that  **  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  have  be- 
•^  come  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  ; "  if  you  would 
place  crowns  upon  the  head  of  the  Saviour,  and  His  throne 
lifted  high,  then  be  filled  with  zeal.  For  under  God,  the 
way  of  the  world's  conversion  must  be  by  the  zeal  of  the 
church.  Every  grace  shall  do  exploits,  but  this  shall  be  first ; 
prudence,  knowledge,  patience,  and  courage,  will  follow  in 
their  places,  but  zeal  must  lead  the  van.  It  is  not  the  extent 
of  your  knowledge,  though  that  is  useful ;  it  is  not  the  extent 
of  your  talent,  though  that  is  not  to  be  despised  ;  it  is  your 
zeal  that  shall  do  great  exploits.  This  zeal  is  the  fruit  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  it  draws  its  vital  force  from  the  continued  opera- 
tions of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  soul.  If  our  inner  life  dwin- 
dles, if  our  heart  beats  slowly  before  God,  we  shall  not  know 
zeal ;  but  if  all  be  strong  and  vigorous  within,  then  we  can- 
not but  feel  a  loving  anxiety  to  see  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
come,  and  His  will  done  on  earth,  even  as  it  is  in  heaven. 
A  deep  sense  of  gratitude  will  nourish  Christian  zeal.  Look- 
ing to  the  hole  of  the  pit  whence  we  were  digged,  we  find 
abundant  reason  why  we  should  spend  and  be  spent  for  God. 
And  zeal  is  also  stimulated  by  the  thought  of  the  eternal  fu- 
ture. It  looks  with  tearful  eyes  down  to  the  flames  of  hell, 
and  it  cannot  slumber  :  it  looks  up  with  anxious  gaze  to 
the  glories  of  heaven,  and  it  cannot  but  bestir  itself.  It 
feels  that  time  is  short  compared  with  the  work  to  be  done, 
and  therefore  it  devotes  all  that  it  has  to  the  cause  of  its 
Lord.  And  it  is  ever  strengthened  by  the  remembrance  of 
ChrisVs  example.  He  was  clothed  with  zeal  as  with  a  cloak, 
flow  swift  the  chariot-wheels  of  duty  went  with  Him  !  He 
knew  no  loitering  by  the  way.  Let  us  prove  that  we  ar« 
His  disciples,  by  manifesting  the  same  spirit  of  zeal. 


160  EVENING  READINGS  J  UUC  8^ 

"  Thou  slialt  see  now  whether  My  word  shall  come  to  pass  unto  thee 
or  not." — Numbers  xi.  23. 

I^OD  had  made  a  positive  promise  to  Moses  that  for  the 
space  of  a  whole  month  He  would  feed  the  vast  host 
in  the  wilderness  with  flesh.  Moses,  being  over- 
taiien  by  a  fit  of  unbelief,  looks  to  the  outward  means,  and 
is  at  a  loss  to  know  how  the  promise  can  be  fulfilled.  He 
looked  to  the  creature  instead  of  the  Creator.  But  doth  the 
Creator  expect  the  creature  to  fulfil  His  promise  for  Him  ? 
No ;  He  who  makes  the  promise  ever  fulfils  it  by  His  own 
unaided  omnipotence.  If  He  speaks,  it  is  done  —  done  by 
Himself.  His  promises  do  not  depend  for  their  fulfilment 
upon  the  cooperation  of  the  puny  strength  of  man.  We  can 
at  once  perceive  the  mistake  which  Moses  made.  And  yet 
how  commonly  we  do  the  same !  God  has  promised  to  sup- 
ply our  needs,  and  we  look  to  the  creature  to  do  what  God 
has  promised  to  do  ;  and  then,  because  we  perceive  the  crea- 
ture to  be  weak  and  feeble,  we  indulge  in  unbelief.  Why 
look  we  to  that  quarter  at  all  ?  Will  you  look  to  the  top  of 
the  Alps  for  summer  heat  ?  will  you  journey  to  the  north 
pole  to  gather  fruits  ripened  in  the  sun  ?  Verily,  you  would 
act  no  more  foolishly  if  ye  did  this,  than  when  you  look  to  the 
weak  for  strength,  and  to  the  creature  to  do  the  Creator's 
work.  Let  us,  then,  put  the  question  on  the  right  footing. 
The  ground  of  faith  is  not  the  suflaciency  of  the  visible  means 
for  the  performance  of  the  promise,  but  the  all-sufl5ciency 
of  the  invisible  God,  who  will  most  surely  do  as  He  hath  said. 
If,  after  clearly  seeing  that  the  onus  lies  with  the  Lord,  and 
not  with  the  creature,  we  dare  to  indulge  in  mistrust,  the 
question  of  God  comes  home  mightily  to  us :  "  Has  the 
Lord's  hand  waxed  short  ?  "  May  it  happen,  too,  in  Hia 
mercy,  that  with  the  question  there  may  flash  upon  our  souls 
that  blessed  declaration,  "  Thou  shalt  see  now  whether  Mj 
(rord  shall  come  to  pass  un^o  thee  or  not." 


June  9.  EVENING    READINGS.  16 

"  Search  the  Scriptures."  —  John  v.  39. 


% 


jUlE  Greek  word  here  rendered  search  signifies  a  strict, 
^  close,  diligent,  curious  search,  such  as  men  make 
when  they  are  sseking  gold,  or  hunters  when  they 
arc  in  earnest  after  game.  We  must  not  rest  content  wtch 
having  given  a  superficial  reading  to  a  chapter  or  two,  but 
with  the  candle  of  the  Spirit  we  must  deliberately  seek  out 
the  hidden  meaning  of  the  word.  Holy  Scripturo  requires 
searching  —  much  of  it  can  only  be  learned  by  careful  study. 
There  is  milk  for  babes,  but  also  meat  for  strong  men.  The 
rabbis  wisely  say  that  a  mountain  of  matter  hangs  upon  every 
word,  yea,  upon  every  tittle  of  Scripture.  Tcrtullian  ex- 
claims, "  I  adore  the  fulness  of  the  Scriptures."  No  man  who 
merely  skims  the  book  of  God  can  profit  thereby ;  we  must 
dig  and  mine  until  we  obtain  the  hid  treasure.  The  door  of 
the  word  only  opens  to  the  key  of  diligence.  The  Scriptures 
claim  searching.  They  are  the  writings  of  God,  bearing  the 
divine  stamp  and  imprimatur  —  who  shall  dare  to  treat  them 
with  levity  ?  He  who  despises  them  despises  the  God  who 
wrote  them.  God  forbid  that  any  of  us  should  leave  our  Bi- 
bles to  become  swift  witnesses  against  us  in  the  great  day  of 
account.  The  word  of  God  will  repay  searching.  God  does 
not  bid  us  sift  a  mountain  of  chaff  with  here  and  there  a  grain 
of  wheat  in  it,  but  the  Bible  is  winnowed  corn  —  we  have  but 
to  open  the  granary  door  and  find  it.  Scripture  grows  upon 
the  student.  It  is  full  of  surprises.  Under  the  teaching  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  the  searching  eye  it  glows  with  splendor  of 
revelation,  like  a  vast  temple  paved  with  wrought  jrold,  ana 
roofed  with  rubies,  emeralds,  and  all  manner  of  gems.  No  mer- 
chandise like  the  merchandise  of  Scripture  truth.  Lastly,  tht 
Scriptures  reveal  Jesus  :  "  They  are  they  which  testify  of  Me.' 
No  more  powerful  motive  can  be  urged  upon  Bible  readers 
than  this :  He  who  finds  Jesus  finds  life,  heaven,  all  things. 
Happy  he  who,  searching  his  Bible,  discovers  his  Saviour. 
14* 


!62  EVENING  READINGS.        June  10 

"  They  are  they  which  testify  (f  Me."  —  John  v.  39. 

S;ESUS  CHRIST  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega  of  the  Bible. 
n;|  He  is  the  constant  theme  of  its  sacred  pages ;  from 
•^  first  to  last  they  testify  of  Him.  At  the  creation  we 
at  once  discern  Him  as  one  of  the  sacred  Trinity;  we  catch 
a  glimpse  of  Him  in  the  promise  of  the  woman's  seed ;  we 
see  Him  typified  in  the  ark  of  Noah  ;  we  walk  with  Abra- 
ham, as  he  sees  Messiah's  day ;  we  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
Isaac  and  Jacob,  feeding  upon  the  gracious  promise;  we 
hear  the  venerable  Israel  talking  of  Shiloh  ;  and  in  the  nu. 
merous  types  of  the  law  we  find  the  Redeemer  abundantly 
foreshadowed.  Prophets  and  kings,  priests  and  preachers, 
all  look  one  way  —  they  all  stand  as  the  cherubs  did  over  the 
ark,  desiring  to  look  within,  and  to  read  the  mystery  of  God's 
great  propitiation.  Still  more  manifestly  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment we  find  our  Lord  the  one  pervading  subject.  It  is  nol 
an  ingot  here  and  there,  or  dust  of  gold  thinly  scattered,  but 
here  you  stand  upon  a  solid  floor  of  gold  ;  for  the  whole  sub- 
stance of  the  New  Testament  is  Jesus  crucified,  and  even  its 
closing  sentence  is  bejewelled  with  the  Redeemer's  name. 
We  should  always  read  Scripture  in  this  light ;  we  should 
consider  the  word  to  be  as  a  mirror  into  which  Christ  looks 
down  from  heaven ;  and  then,  we,  looking  into  it,  see  His 
face  reflected  as  in  a  glass  —  darkly,  it  is  true,  but  still  in 
6uch  a  way  as  to  be  a  blessed  preparation  for  seeing  Him  as 
we  shall  see  Him,  face  to  face.  This  volume  contains  Jesus 
Christ's  letters  to  us,  perfumed  by  His  love.  These  pages 
are  the  garments  of  our  King,  and  they  all  smell  of  myrrh, 
and  aloes,  and  cassia.  Scripture  is  the  royal  chariot  in 
which  Jesus  rides,  and  it  is  paved  with  love  for  the  daugh- 
ters of  Jerusalem.  The  Scriptures  are  the  swaddling 
bands  of  the  holy  child  Jesus  ;  unroll  them  and  you  find 
your  Saviour.  The  quintessence  of  the  word  of  God  M 
'hrist. 


June  11.  EVENING    READINGS.  1 G3 

"  Tliere  brake  lie  the  arrows  of  the  how,  the  shield,  and  the  ncord, 
and  the  battle."  —  Psalm  Ixxvi.  3. 

t^ip^l^TTR  Ecdeemcr's  glorious  cry  of  "It  is  finished"  wav 
W-\W^  the  death-knell  of  all  the  adversaries  of  His  people, 
****^*^^  the  breaking  of  "  the  arrows  of  the  bow,  the  shield, 
and  the  sword,  and  the  battle."  Behold  the  hero  of  Gol- 
gotha using  Ilis  cross  as  an  anvil,  and  his  woes  as  a  hammer, 
dashing  to  shivers  bundle  after  bundle  of  our  sins,  those 
poisoned  "  arrows  of  the  bow ;  "  trampling  on  every  indict- 
ment, and  destroying  every  accusation.  What  glorious  blows 
the  mighty  Breaker  gives  with  a  hammer  far  more  ponderous 
than  the  fabled  weapon  of  Thor  !  How  the  diabolical  darta 
fly  to  fragments,  and  the  infernal  bucklers  are  broken  like 
potters*  vessels  !  Behold,  He  draws  from  its  sheath  of  hell- 
ish workmanship  the  dread  sword  of  Satanic  power  !  He 
snaps  it  across  His  knee,  as  a  man  breaks  the  dry  wood  of  a 
fagot,  and  casts  it  into  the  fire.  Beloved,  no  sin  of  a  be- 
liever can  now  be  an  arrow  mortally  to  wound  him,  no  con- 
demnation can  now  be  a  sword  to  kill  him,  for  the  punishment 
of  our  sin  was  borne  by  Christ,  a  full  atonement  was  made 
for  all  our  iniquities  by  our  blessed  Substitute  and  Surety. 
Who  now  accuseth  ?  Who  now  condemneth  ?  Christ  hath 
died,  yea,  rather  hath  risen  again.  Jesus  has  emptied  the 
quivers  of  hell,  has  quenched  every  fiery  dart,  and  broken 
off  the  head  of  every  arrow  of  wrath  ;  the  ground  is  strewn 
with  the  splinters  and  relics  of  the  weapons  of  hell's  war- 
fare, which  are  only  visible  to  us  to  remind  us  of  our  former 
danger,  and  of  our  great  deliverance.  Sin  hath  no  more 
dominion  over  us.'  Jesus  has  made  an  end  of  it,  and  put  it 
away  forever.  0  thou  enemy,  destructions  are  come  to  a 
perpetual  end.  Talk  ye  of  all  the  wondrous  works  of  the 
Lord,  ye  who  nake  mention  of  His  name ;  keep  not  silence, 
neither  by  day,  nor  when  the  sun  goeth  to  his  rest.  Blesf 
the  Lord,  0  my  soul. 


164  EVENING  READINGS.        June  12. 

"  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  an  holy  calling." 
2  Timothy  i,  9. 

^IIE  apostle  uses  the  perfect  fejnse,  and  says,  "Who 
hath  saved  us."  Believers  in  (Jhrist  Jesus  are  saved. 
They  are  not  looked  upon  as  persons  who  are  in  a 
hopeful  state,  and  may  ultimately  be  saved,  but  they  are  al- 
ready saved.  Salvation  is  not  a  blessing  to  be  enjoyed  upon 
the  dying  bed,  and  to  be  sung  of  in  a  future  state  above,  but 
a  matter  to  be  obtained,  received,  promised,  and  enjoyed 
now.  The  Christian  is  perfectly  saved  in  God's  purpose ; 
God  has  ordained  him  unto  salvation,  and  that  purpose  ia 
complete.  He  is  saved  also  as  to  the  pries  which  has  been 
paid  for  him  :  "  It  is  finished  "  was  the  cry  of  the  Saviour 
ere  he  died.  The  believer  is  also  perfectly  saved  in  his 
covenant  head,  for  as  he  fell  in  Adam,  so  he  lives  in  Christ. 
This  complete  salvation  is  accompanied  by  a  holy  calling. 
Those  whom  the  Saviour  saved  upon  the  cross  are  in  duo 
time  eflFectually  called  by  the  power  of  God  the  Holy  Spirit 
unto  holiness  ;  they  leave  their  sins  ;  they  endeavor  to  be 
like  Christ ;  they  choose  holiness,  not  out  of  any  compul- 
sion, but  from  the  stress  of  a  new  nature,  which  leads  them 
to  rejoice  in  holiness  just  as  naturally  as  aforetime  they  de- 
lighted in  sin.  God  neither  chose  them  nor  called  them  be- 
cause they  were  holy,  but  He  called  them  that  they  might  be 
holy,  and  holiness  is  the  beauty  produced  by  His  workman- 
ship in  them.  The  excellences  which  we  see  in  a  believer 
are  as  much  the  work  of  God  as  the  atonement  itself.  Thus 
is  brought  out  very  sweetly  the  fulness  of  the  grace  of  God. 
Salvation  must  be  of  grace,  because  the  Lord  is  the  author 
of  it :  and  what  motive  but  grace  could  move  Him  to  save 
the  guilty  ?  Salvation  must  be  of  grace,  because  the  Lord 
works  in  such  a  manner  that  our  righteousness  is  forever  ex- 
cluded. Such  is  the  believer's  privileg  e  —  a  present  salvation ; 
Buch  is  the  evidence  that  he  is  called  to  it  —  o  holy  life. 


June  13.  EVENiNO  headings.  165 

"  Remove  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies."  —  Proverbs  xxx.  8. 
"  0  my  God,  be  not  far  from  me."  —  Psalm  xxxviii.  21. 

JIORE  we  have  two  great  lessons  —  what  to  deprecate 
and  what  to  sujiplicate.  The  happiest  state  of  a 
Christian  is  the  holiest  state.  As  there  is  the  most 
heat  nearest  to  the  sun,  so  there  is  the  most  happiness  near- 
est to  Christ.  No  Christian  enjoys  comfort  when  his  eyes 
are  fixed  on  vanity  —  he  finds  no  satisfaction  unless  his  soul 
is  quickened  in  the  ways  of  God.  The  world  may  win  hap- 
piness elsewhere,  but  he  cannot.  I  do  not  blame  ungodly 
men  for  rushing  to  their  pleasures.  Why  should  I  ?  Let 
them  have  their  fill.  That  is  all  they  have  to  enjoy.  A  con- 
verted wife  who  despaired  of  her  husband  was  always  very 
kind  to  him,  for  she  said,  "  I  fear  that  this  is  the  only  world 
in  which  he  will  be  happy,  and  therefore  I  have  made  up  my 
mind  to  make  him  as  happy  as  I  can  in  it."  Christians  musi 
seek  their  delights  in  a  higher  sphere  than  the  insipid  frivol- 
ities or  sinful  enjoyments  of  the  world.  Vain  pursuits  are 
dangerous  to  renewed  souls.  We  have  heard  of  a  philoso- 
pher who,  while  he  looked  up  to  the  stars,  fell  into  a  pit ; 
but  how  deeply  do  they  fall  who  look  down  I  Their  fall  is 
fatal.  No  Christian  is  safe  when  his  soul  is  slothful,  and  his 
God  is  far  from  him.  Every  Christian  is  always  safe  as  to 
the  great  matter  of  his  standing  in  Christ,  but  he  is  not  safe 
as  regards  his  experience  in  holiness,  and  communion  with 
Jesus  in  this  life.  Satan  does  not  often  attack  a  Christian 
who  is  living  near  to  God.  It  is  when  the  Christian  departs 
from  his  God,  becomes  spiritually  starved,  and  endeavors  to 
feed  on  vanities,  that  the  devil  discovers  his  vantage  hour. 
He  may  sometimes  stand  foot  to  foot  with  the  child  of  God 
who  is  active  in  his  Master's  service,  but  the  battle  is  gener- 
ally short ;  he  who  slips  as  he  goes  down  into  the  Valley  of 
Humiliation,  every  time  he  takes  a  false  step  invites  ApoUyon 
to  assail  him.    Oh  for  grace  to  walk  humbly  with  our  God ! 


166  EVENING  HEADINGS.        June  li 

**  0  Lord,  to  us  bdongeth  confusion  of  face  . .  .  because  we  have 
sinned  against  TJiee."  —  Daniel  ix.  8. 

j^  DEEP  sense  and  clear  sight,  of  sin,  its  heinousnesSj 
and  the  punishment  which  it  deserves,  should  make 
us  lie  low  before  the  throne.  We  have  sinned  as 
Christians.  Alas  !  that  it  phould  be  so.  Favored  as  we 
have  been,  we  have  yet  been  ungrateful :  privileged  beyond 
most,  we  have  not  brought  forth  fruit  in  proportion.  Who 
is  there,  although  he  may  long  have  been  engaged  in  the 
Christian  warfare,  that  will  not  blush  when  he  looks  back 
upon  the  past  ?  As  for  our  days  before  we  were  regenerate, 
may  they  be  forgiven  and  forgotten  ;  but  since  then,  though 
we  have  not  sinned  as  before,  yet  we  have  sinned  against 
light  and  against  love  —  light  which  has  really  penetrated 
our  minds,  and  love  in  which  we  have  rejoiced.  Oh  the 
atrocity  of  the  sin  of  a  pardoned  soul  !  An  unpardoned 
sinner  sins  cheaply  compared  with  the  sin  of  one  of  God's 
own  elect  ones,  who  has  had  communion  with  Christ  and 
leaned  his  head  upon  Jesus'  bosom.  Look  at  David  !  Many 
will  talk  of  his  sin,  but  I  pray  you  look  at  his  repentance, 
and  hear  his  broken  bones,  as  each  one  of  them  moans  out 
its  dolorous  confession  !  Mark  his  tears,  as  they  fall  upon 
the  ground,  and  the  deep  sighs  with  which  he  accompanies 
the  softened  music  of  his  harp  !  We  have  erred  :  let  us, 
therefore,  seek  the  spirit  of  penitence.  Look,  again,  at  Pe- 
ter !  We  speak  much  of  Peter's  denying  his  Master.  Re- 
member, it  is  written,  "  He  wept  bitterly."  Have  we  no  de- 
nials of  our  Lord  to  be  lamented  with  tears  ?  Alas  !  these 
sins  of  ours,  before  and  after  conversion,  would  consign  us 
to  the  place  of  inextinguishable  fire,  if  it  were  not  for  the 
sovereign  mercy  which  has  made  us  to  differ,  snatching  U3 
like  brands  from  the  burning.  My  soul,  bow  down  under  a 
sense  of  thy  natural  sinfulness,  and  worship  thy  God.  Ad- 
mire the  grace  which  saves  thee  —  the  mercy  which  sparer 
thee  —  the  love  which  pardons  thee  1 


June  15.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  167 

"  He  openeth,  and  no  man  shutteth."  —  Revelation  iii.  7. 

^^S^ESUS  is  the  keeper  of  the  gates  of  paradise,  and  be- 
/K^l  M  fore  every  believing  soul  He  ectteth  an  open  doer, 
/«4^'^  which  no  man  or  devil  shall  be  able  to  close  against  it. 
What  joy  it  will  be  to  find  that  faith  in  Ilim  is  the  golden 
key  to  the  everlasting  doors !  My  soul,  dost  thou  carry  this 
key  in  thy  bosom,  or  art  thou  trusting  to  some  deceitful  pick- 
lock, which  will  fail  thee  at  last  ?  Hear  this  parable  of  the 
preacher,  and  remember  it.  The  great  King  has  made  a 
banquet,  and  He  has  proclaimed  to  all  the  world  that  none 
shall  enter  but  those  who  bring  with  them  the  fairest  flower 
that  blooms.  The  spirits  of  men  advance  to  the  gate  by 
thousands,  and  they  bring  each  one  the  flower  which  he  es- 
teems the  queen  of  the  garden  ;  but  in  crowds  they  arc 
driven  from  the  royal  presence,  and  enter  not  into  the  festive 
balls.  Some  bear  in  their  hand  the  deadly  nightshade  of  su- 
perstition, or  the  flaunting  poppies  of  Rome,  or  the  hemlock 
of  self-righteousness  ;  but  these  are  not  dear  to  the  King,  the ' 
bearers  are  shut  out  of  the  pearly  gates.  My  soul,  hast  thou 
gathered  the  rose  of  Sharon  ?  Dost  thou  wear  the  lily  of  the 
valley  in  thy  bosom  constantly  ?  If  so,  when  thou  comest 
up  to  the  gates  of  heaven,  thou  wilt  know  its  value,  for  thou 
hast  only  to  show  this  choicest  of  flowers,  and  the  Porter 
will  open  :  not  for  a  moment  will  He  deny  thee  admission, 
for  to  thatr  rose  the  Porter  openeth  ever.  Thou  shalt  find 
thy  way,  with  the  rose  of  Sharon  in  thy  hand,  up  to  the  throne 
of  God  Himself,  for  heaven  itself  possesses  nothing  that  ex- 
cels its  radiant  beauty  ;  and  of  all  the  flowers  that  bloom  in 
paradise  there  is  none  that  can  rival  the  lily  of  the  valleys. 
My  soul,  get  Calvary's  blood-red  rose  into  thy  hand  by  faith, 
by  love  wear  it,  by  communion  preserve  it,  by  daily  watch- 
fulness make  it  thine  all  in  all,  and  thou  shalt  be  blessed  be- 
yond all  bliss,  happy  beyond  a  dream.  Josun,  be  mine  for- 
ever, my  God,  my  heaven,  my  all. 


168  EVENING  READINGS.        June  16. 


•'  The  Lord  is  my  light  and  my  salvation ;  whom  shall  1  fear')  the 
Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life ;  of  whom  shall  I  be  afraid  ?  " 
—  Psalm  xxvii.  1. 


If 


^^HE  Lord  is  my  light  and  my  salvation.^'  Here  ia 
personal  interest,  "my  light,'"  "my  salvation;" 
the  soul  is  assured  of  it,  and  therefore  declares  if 
boldly.  Into  the  soul  at  the  new  birth  divine  light  is  poured 
as  the  precursor  of  salvation  ;  where  there  is  not  enough 
light  to  reveal  our  own  darkness,  and  to  make  us  long  for  the 
Lord  Jesus,  there  is  no  evidence  of  salvation.  After  con- 
version our  God  is  our  joy,  comfort,  guide,  teacher,  and  in 
every  sense  our  light :  He  is  light  within,  light  around,  light, 
reflected  from  us,  and  light  to  be  revealed  to  no.  Note,  it  is 
not  said  merely  that  the  Lord  gives  light,  but  that  He  is 
light ;  nor  that  He  gives  salvation,  but  that  He  is  salvation ; 
he,  then,  who  by  faith  has  laid  hold  upon  God,  has  all  cove- 
nant blessings  in  his  possession.  This  being  made  sure  as  a 
fact,  the  argument  drawn  from  it  is  put  in  the  form  of  a  ques- 
tion, "  W^Aom  s/m?Z  7 /ear  .^  "  A  question  which  is  its  own 
answer.  The  powers  of  darkness  are  not  to  be  feared,  for 
the  Lord,  our  light,  destroys  them  ;  and  the  damnation  of 
hell  is  not  to  be  dreaded  by  us,  for  the  Lord  is  our  salvation 
This  is  a  very  different  challenge  from  that  of  boastful  Goli- 
ath, for  it  rests  not  upon  the  conceited  vigor  of  an  arm  of 
flesh,  but  upon  the  real  power  of  the  omnipotejit  I  AM. 
"  The  Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life."  Here  is  a  third  glow- 
ing epithet,  to  show  that  the  writer's  hope  was  fastened  with 
a  threefold  cord  which  could  not  be  broken.  We  may  well 
accumulate  terms  of  praise  where  the  Lord  lavishes  deeds 
of  grace.  Our  life  derives  all  its  strength  from  God  ;  and 
if  He  deigns  to  make  us  strong,  we  cannot  be  weakened  by 
all  the  machinations  of  the  adversary.  "Ofivhom  shall  I  be 
afraid  f  "  The  bold  question  looks  into  the  future  as  well 
as  the  present.  "  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us," 
either  now  or  in  time  to  come  ? 


June  17.  EVENING    READINGS.  169 

•*  Then  Israel  sang  this  song :  Spring  up,  0  well ;  sing  ye  unto  it." 
Numbers  xxi.  17. 

<w^>3|>5AMOUS  was  the  well  of  Beer  in  the  wilderness,  be- 
cause it  was  the  subject  of  a  promise  :  "  That  is  the 
well  whereof  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  Gather  the 
people  together,  and  I  will  give  them  water."  The 
people  needed  water,  and  it  was  promised  by  their  gracious 
God.  We  need  fresh  supplies  of  heavenly  grace,  and  iil  the 
covenant  the  Lord  has  pledged  Himself  to  give  all  we  require. 
The  well  next' became  the  cause  of  a  song.  Before  the  water 
gushed  forth,  cheerful  faith  prompted  the  people  to  sing  ; 
and  as  they  saw  the  crystal  fount  bubbling  up,  the  music  grew 
yet  more  joyous.  In  like  manner,  we  who  believe  the  promise 
of  God  should  rejoice  in  the  prospect  of  divine  revivals  in  our 
souls,  and  as  we  experience  them,  our  holy  joy  should  overflow. 
Are  we  thirsting  ?  Let  us  not  murmur,  but  sing.  Spiritual 
thirst  is  bitter  to  bear,  but  we  need  not  bear  it  —  the  promise 
indicates  a  well ;  let  us  be  of  good  heart,  and  look  for  it.  More- 
over, the  well  was  the  centre  of  prayer.  "  Spring  up,  0  well." 
What  God  has  engaged  to  give,  we  must  inquire  after,  or  we 
manifest  that  we  have  neither  desire  nor  faith.  This  evening 
let  us  ask  that  the  Scripture  we  have  read,  and  our  devotional 
exercises,  may  not  be  an  empty  formality,  but  a  channel  of 
grace  to  our  souls.  Oh  that  God,  the  Holy  Spirit,  would  work 
in  us  with  all  His  mighty  power,  filling  us  with  all  the  fulness 
of  God.  Lastly,  the  well  was  the  object  of  effort.  "  The  nobles 
of  the  people  digged  it  with  their  staves."  The  Lord  would 
have  us  active  in  obtaining  grace.  Our  staves  are  ill  adapted 
for  digging  in  the  sand,  but  we  must  use  them  to  the  utmost  of 
our  ability.  Prayer  must  not  be  neglected  ;  the  assembling  of 
ourselves  together  must  not  be  forsaken  ;  ordinances  must  not 
be  slighted.  The  Lord  will  give  us  His  grace  most  plenteous- 
ly,  but  not  in  a  way  of  idleness.  Let  us,  then,  bestir  our- 
selves to  seek  Him  in  whom  are  all  our  fresh  springs. 
15 


170  EVENING    HEADINGS.  Juiie  18 

"  I  am  come  into  my  garden,  my  sister,  my  spouse."  —  Cant.  v.  1. 

|*^HE  heart  of  the  believer  is  Christ's  garden.  H« 
bought  it  with  His  precious  blood,  and  He  enters  it 
and  claims  it  as  His  own.  A  garden  implies  separa- 
tion. It  is  not  the  open  common  ;  it  is  not  a  wilderness  ;  it 
is  walled  around,  or  hedged  in.  Would  that  we  could  see 
the  wall  of  separation  between  the  church  and  the  world 
made  broader  and  stronger.  It  makes  one  sad  to  hear  Chris- 
tians saying,  "  Well,  there  is  no  harm  in  this  ;  there  is  no 
harm  in  that,"  thus  getting  as  near  to  the  world  as  possible. 
Grace  is  at  a  low  ebb  in  that  soul  which  can  even  raise  the 
question  of  how  far  it  may  go  in  worldly  conformity.  A 
garden  is  a  place  of  beauty  ;  it  far  surpasses  the  wild,  unculti- 
vated lands.  The  genuine  Christian  must  seek  to  be  more 
excellent  in  his  life  than  the  best  moralist,  because  Christ's 
garden  ought  to  produce  the  best  flowers  in  all  the  world. 
Even  the  best  is  poor  compared  with  Christ's  deservings  : 
let  us  not  put  Him  off  with  withering  and  dwarf  plants.  The 
rarest,  richest,  choicest  lilies  and  roses  ought  to  bloom  in  the 
place  which  Jesus  calls  His  own.  The  garden  is  a  place  of 
growth.  The  saints  are  not  to  remain  undeveloped,  always 
mere  buds  and  blossoms.  We  should  grow  in  grace,  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
Growth  should  be  rapid  where  Jesus  is  the  Husbandman, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  the  dew  from  above.  A  garden  is  a 
place  of  retirement.  So  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  would  have  us 
reserve  our  souls  as  a  place  in  which  He  can  manifest  Him- 
self, as  He  doth  not  unto  the  world.  Oh  that  Christians  were 
more  retired,  that  they  kept  their  hearts  more  closely  shut 
up  for  Christ !  We  often  worry  and  trouble  ourselves,  like 
Martha,  with  much  serving,  so  that  we  have  not  the  room 
for  Christ  that  Mary  had,  and  do  not  sit  at  His  feet  as  we 
should.  The  Lord  grant  the  sweet  showers  of  Hia  grace  to 
water  His  garden  this  day. 


June   19.  EVENING    READINGS.  171 

"  My  Beloved  is  mine,  arid  I  am  Ilis :  He  feedcth  among  the  lilies. 
Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadoics  flee  away,  twii,  my  />e- 
loved,  and  be  Thou  like  a  roe  or  a  young  hart  upon  the  moun- 
tains of  Bether"  —  Solomon's  Song  ii.  16,  17. 

k'URELY  if  there  be  a  happy  verse  in  the  Bible,  it  ig 
this  —  "  My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  His."  So 
peaceful,  so  full  of  assurance,  so  overrunning  with 
happiness  and  contentment  is  it,  that  it  might  well  have  been 
written  by  the  same  hand  which  penned  the  twenty-third 
Psalm.  The  verse  savors  of  Him  who,  an  hour  before  Ha 
went  to  Gethsemane,  said,  "  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  My 
peace  I  give  unto  you  :  not  as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto 
you."  "In  the. world  ye  shall  have  tribulation  :  but  be  of 
good  cheer  ;  I  have  overcome  the  world."  Let  us  ring  the 
silver  bell  again,  for  its  notes  are  exquisitely  sweet :  "  My 
Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  His  :  He  feedeth  among  the 
lilies."  And  yet  there  is  a  shadow.  Though  the  prospect 
is  exceeding  fair  and  lovely,  —  earth  cannot  show  its  supe- 
rior, —  it  is  not  entirely  a  sunlit  landscape.  There  is  a  cloud 
in  the  sky  which  casts  a  shadow  over  the  scene ;  though  it 
does  not  dim  it,  for  everything  is  clear,  and  stands  out  sharp- 
ly and  brightly  —  "My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  His." 
That  is  clear  enough,  yet  it  is  not  altogether  sunlight.  Lis- 
ten :  "  Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away." 

There  is  a  word,  too,  about  the  "  mountains  of  Bether," 
or  "  the  mountains  of  division,"  and  to  our  love  anything 
like  division  is  bitterness.  I  see  here  a  paschal  lamb,  but  I 
see  bitter  herbs  with  it :  I  see  the  lily,  but  I  perceive  that  it 
is  still  among  the  thorns.  Beloved,  this  may  be  your  pres- 
ent state  of  mind  ;  you  do  not  doubt  your  salvation  ;  you 
know  that  He  is  yours,  but  you  are  not  feasting  with  Him. 
you  understand  your  vital  interest  in  Him,  so  that  you  have 
no  shadow  of  a  doubt  of  your  being  His,  and  of  His  being 


172  EVENING    IkEADINGS.  JunC  19. 

yours  ;  but  still  His  left  hand  is  not  under  your  head,  nor 
doth  His  right  hand  embrace  you.  A  shade  of  sadness  is 
cast  over  your  heart,  perhaps  by  affliction,  certainly  by  the 
temporary  absence  of  your  Lord  ;  so,  even  while  exclaiming, 
"  I  am  His,"  you  are  forced  to  take  to  your  knees,  and  to 
pray,  "  Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  turn, 
my  Beloved." 

"  Where  is  He  ?  "  asks  the  soul.  And  the  answer  comes, 
"  He  feedeth  among  the  lilies."  The  worldling  cares  not 
where  Christ  is,  but  that  is  the  Christian's  one  subject  of 
thought.  Jesus  is  gone  among  those  snow-white  lilies  which 
bloom  in  the  pastures  of  heaven,  those  golden  lilies  which 
are  round  about  the  throne.  Oh,  when  shall  we  be  with  Him, 
and  partake  of  His  glory  ?  Our  impatient  spirit  yearns  for 
the  hour  when  our  marriage  shall  be  consummated  and  our 
bliss  complete.  He  is  among  His  lilies  here  below,  those 
virgin  souls  who,  — 

"  Whithersoever  the  Lamb  doth  lead, 
From  His  footsteps  ne'er  depart." 

If  we  would  find  Christ,  we  must  get  into  communion  with 
His  people  ;  we  must  come  to  the  ordinances  with  His  saints. 
Though  He  does  not  feed  on  the  lilies.  He  feeds  among 
them,  and  there,  mayhap,  we  may  meet  with  Him.  Oh  for 
an  evening  glimpse  of  Him  !  Oh,  to  sup  with  Him  to-night ! 
My  Lord,  by  all  Thy  love  to  me,  deign  at  this  hour  to  visit 
me  in  Thy  kindness,  and  give  me  the  dawn  of  heaven  in  my 
soul.  How  quickly  can  He  come  to  me  !  No  feet  of  roe 
are  half  so  swift.  In  a  moment  He  can  cheer  me  with  Hia 
delightful  presence.  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  and  abide  with  in« 
fo'-ever. 

"  When  wilt  Tliou  come  unto  me,  Lord  * 
Oh,  corae,  my  Lord  most  dear  ! 
Come  near,  come  nearer,  nearer  still; 
I'm  blest  wlu'u  Thou  art  near." 


June  20.        evening  headings.  173 

"  Straightway  they  forsook  their  nets,  and  followed  Ilini." 
Mark  i.  18. 

^Fi|:f!jlIEN  they  heard  the  call  of  Jesus,  Simon  and  Andrew 
Ml'Jkh  obeyed  at  once  without  demur.  If  we  .would  always, 
-^'^*^  punctually  and  with  resolute  zeal,  put  in  practice 
what  we  hear  upon  the  spot,  or  at  the  first  fit  occasion,  our 
attendance  at  the  means  of  grace,  and  our  reading  of  good 
books,  could  not  fail  to  enrich  us  spiritually.  He  will  not 
lose  his  loaf  who  has  taken  care  a*  once  to  eat  it ;  neither 
can  he  be  deprived  of  the  benefit  of  the  doctrine  who  has 
already  acted  upon  it.  Most  readers  and  hearers  become 
moved  so  far  as  to  purpose  to  amend  ;  but,  alas  !  the  propo- 
sal is  a  blossom  which  has  not  been  knit,  and  therefore  no 
fruit  comes  of  it ;  they  wait,  they  waver,  and  then  they  for- 
get, till,  like  the  ponds  in  nights  of  frost,  when  the  sun  shines 
by  day,  they  are  only  thawed  in  time  to  be  frozen  again. 
That  fatal  to-morroio  is  blood-red  with  the  murder  of  fair 
resolutions  ;  it  is  the  slaughter-house  of  the  innocents.  We 
are  very  concerned  that  our  little  book  of  "  Evening  Read- 
ings" should  not  be  fruitless,  and  therefore  we  pray  that 
readers  may  not  be  readers  only,  but  doers  of  the  word.  The 
■practice  of  truth  is  the  most  profitable  reading  of  it.  Should 
the  reader  be  impressed  with  any  duty  while  perusing  these 
pages,  let  him  hasten  to  fulfil  it  before  the  holy  glow  has  de- 
parted from  his  soul,  and  let  him  leave  his  nets,  and  all  that 
he  has,  sooner  than  be  found  rebellious  to  the  Master's  call. 
Do  not  give  place  to  the  devil  by  delay  !  Haste  while  op- 
portunity and  quickening  are  in  happy  conjunction.  Do  not 
be  caught  in  your  own  nets,  but  break  the  meshes  of  world- 
liness,  and  away  where  glory  calls  you.  Happy  is  the  writer 
who  shall  meet  with  readers  lesolved  to  carry  out  his  teach- 
.ngs  :  his  harvest  shall  be  a  hundred  fold,  and  his  Master 
shall  have  great  honor.  Would  to  God  that  such  might  be 
our  reward  upon  these  brief  meditations  and  hurried  binta 
Orant  it,  0  Lord,  unto  thy  servant  1 
15* 


174  EVENING  READINGS.  June  21, 

"  The  foundation  of  Ood  standeth  sure."  —  2  Timothy  ii.  19. 

'SHE  foundation  upon  which  our  faith  rests  is  this,  that 
"  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  Him- 
self, not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them."  The 
great  fact  on  which  genuine  faith  relies  is,  that  "  the  Word 
was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us,"  and  that  "  Christ  also 
hath  suffered  for  sin,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  He  might 
bring  us  to  God  ;"  "Who  Himself  bare  our  sins  in  His  own 
body  on  the  tree  ;  "  "  For  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was 
upon  Him,  and  by  His  stripes  we  are  healed."  In  one  word, 
the  great  pillar  of  the  Christian's  hope  is  substitution.  The 
vicarious  sacrifice  of  Christ  for  the  guilty,  Christ  being  made 
sin  for  us  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  Him,  Christ  offering  up  a  true  and  proper  expiatory  and 
substitutionary  sacrifice  in  the  Toom,  place,  and  stead  of  as 
many  as  the  Father  gave  Him,  who  are  known  to  God  by 
name,  and  are  recognized  in  their  own  hearts  by  their  trust- 
ing in  Jesus  —  this  is  the  cardinal  fact  of  the  gospel.  It 
this  foundation  were  removed,  what  could  we  do  ?  But  it 
standeth  firm  as  the  throne  of  God.  We  know  it ;  we  rest 
on  it ;  we  rejoice  in  it ;  and  our  delight  is  to  hold  it,  to  med- 
itate upon  it,  and  to  proclaim  it,  while  we  desire  to  be  actu- 
ated and  moved  by  gratitude  for  it  in  every  part  of  our  life 
and  conversation.  In  these  days  a  direct  attack  is  made 
upon  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement.  Men  cannot  bear  sub- 
stitution. They  gnash  their  teeth  at  the  thought  of  the  Lamb 
of  God  bearing  the  sin  of  man.  But  we,  who  know  by  ex- 
perience the  preciousness  of  this  truth,  will  proclaim  it,  in 
defiance  of  them,  confidently  and  unceasingly.  We  will 
neither  dilute  it,  nor  change  it,  nor  fritter  it  away  in  any 
shape  or  fashion.  It  shall  still  be  Christ,  a  positive  substitute 
bearing  human  guilt  and  suffering  in  the  stead  of  men.  We 
cannot,  dare  not,  give  it  up,  for  it  is  our  life  ;  and  despite 
every  controversy,  we  feel  that  "  nevertheless  the  foundatios 
of  God  standeth  sure." 


June  22.        eveniwo  keadings.  175 

"  'Hull  those  things  tchich  cannot  be  shdken  may  remain." 
Hebrews  xii.  27. 

il^'^<^  have  many  thinsrs  in  our  posseission  at  the  present 
moment  which  cati  be  shaken,  and  it  ill  becoinos  a 
Christian  man  to  set  much  store  by  them,  for  tlioro 
is  nothing  stable  beneath  these  rolling  skies ;  change  is  writ- 
ten upon  all  things.  Yet  we  have  certain  "  things  which 
CJinnot  be  shaken,"  and  I  invite  you  this  evening  to  think  of 
them,  that  if  the  things  which  can  be  shaken  should  all  be 
taken  away,  you  may  derive  real  comfort  from  the  things 
that  cannot  be  shaken,  which  will  remain.  Whatever  your 
losses  have  been  or  may  be,  you  enjoy  present  salvation.  You 
are  standing  at  the  foot  of  His  cross,  trusting  alone  in  the 
merit  of  Jesus'  precious  blood,  and  no  rise  or  fall  of  the 
markets  can  interfere  with  your  salvation  in  Him ;  no  break- 
ing of  banks,  no  failures  and  bankruptcies,  can  touch  that. 
Then  you  are  a  child  of  God  this  evening.  God  is  your  Fa- 
ther. No  change  of  circumstances  can  ever  rob  you  of  that. 
Although  by  losses  brought  to  poverty,  and  stripped  bare, 
you  can  say,  "  He  is  my  Father  still.  In  my  Father's  house 
are  many  mansions  ;  therefore  will  I  not  be  troubled."  You 
have  another  permanent  blessing,  namely,  the  love  qf  Jesus 
Christ.  He  who  is  God  and  Man  loves  you  with  all  the 
strength  of  His  affectionate  nature  —  nothing  can  affect  that. 
The  fig  tree  may  not  blossom,  and  the  flocks  may  cease  from 
the  field  ;  it  matters  not  to  the  man  who  can  sing,  "  My  Be- 
loved is  mine,  and  I  am  His."  Our  best  portion  and  richest 
heritage  we  cannot  lose.  Whatever  troubles  come,  let  us 
play  the  man  ;  let  us  show  that  we  are  not  such  little  chil- 
dren as  to  be  cast  down  by  what  may  happen  in  th'^  poor 
fleeting  state  of  time.  Our  country  is  Immanuel's  land,  our 
hope  is  above  the  sky,  and  therefore,  calm  as  the  summer's 
ocean,  we  will  see  the  wreck  of  everything  earth-born,  and 
yet  rejoice  in  the  God  of  our  salvation. 


176  EVENING  READINGS.        June  23, 

"  Waiting  for  the  adoption."  —  Romans  viii.  23. 

t?aAT}N  in  this  world  saints  are  God's  children,  but  men 
f^m  cannot  disQover  them  to  be  so,  except  by  certain 
moral  characteristics.  The  adoption  is  not  manifest- 
ed ;  the  children  are  not  yet  openly  declared.  Among  the 
Romans  a  man  might  adopt  a  child,  and  keep  it  private  for  a 
long  time  ;  but  there  was  a  second  adoption  in  public  ;  when 
the  child  was  brought  before  the  constituted  authorities,  its 
former  garments  were  taken  off,  and  the  father  who  took  it 
to  be  his  child  gave  it  raiment  suitable  to  its  new  condition 
of  life.  "  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  dolh 
not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be."  We  are  not  yet  arrayed 
in  the  apparel  which  befits  the  royal  family  of  heaven ;  we 
are  wearing  in  this  flesh  and  blood  just  what  we  wore  as  the 
sons  of  Adam  ;  but  we  know  that  "  when  He  shall  appear  " 
who  is  the  "  first  born  among  many  brethren,"  we  shall  be 
like  Him,  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is.  Cannot  you  imagine 
that  a  child  taken  from  the  lowest  ranks  of  society,  and 
adopted  by  a  Roman  senator,  would  say  to  himself,  "  I  long 
for  the  day  when  I  shall  be  publicly  adopted.  Then  I  shall 
leave  off  these  plebeian  garments,  and  be  robed  as  becomes 
my  senatorial  rank  "  ?  Happy  in  what  he  has  received,  for 
that  very  reason  he  groans  to  get  the  fulness  of  what  is  prom- 
ised him.  So  it  is  with  us  to-day.  We  are  waiting  till  we 
shall  put  on  our  proper  garments,  and  shall  be  manifested 
as  the  children  of  God.  We  are  young  nobles,  and  have  not 
yet  worn  our  coronets.  We  are  young  brides,  and  the  mar- 
riage day  is  not  yet  come,  and  by  the  love  our  Spouse  bears 
us,  we  are  led  to  long  and  sigh  for  the  bridal  morning.  Our 
very  happiness  makes  us  groan  after  more ;  our  joy,  like  a 
swollen  spring,  longs  to  well  up  like  an  Iceland  Geyser, 
leaping  to  the  skies,  and  it  heaves  and  groans  within  our 
spirit  for  want  of  space  and  room  by  which  to  manifest  it* 
self  to  men. 


June  24.         evexinq  readings.  177 


"  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  answered  and  said,  .  .  .  Bt 
it  known  unto  thee,  0  king,  that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods."  -— 
Daniel  iii.  16,  18. 

^*^^HE  narrative  of  the  manly  courage  and  marvellous  de- 
vlpifi  liverance  of  the  three  holy  children,  or  rather  chara- 
'^^^^  pions,  is  well  calculated  to  excite  in  the  minds  of 
believers  firmness  and  steadfastness  in  upholding  the  truth  in 
the  teeth  of  tyranny,  and  in  the  very  jaws  of  death.  Let 
young  Christians  especially  learn  from  their  example,  both  in 
matters  of  faith  in  religion,  and  matters  of  uprightness  in 
business,  never  to  sacrifice  their  consciences.  Lose  all  rather 
than  lose  your  integrity  ;  and  when  all  else  is  gone,  still  hold 
fast  a  clear  conscience  as  the  rarest  jewel  which  can  adorn 
the  bosom  of  a  mortal.  Be  not  guided  by  the  will-o'-the- 
Vrisp  of  policy,  but  by  the  pole-star  of  divine  authority.  Follow 
the  right  at  all  hazards.  When  you  see  no  present  advan- 
tage, walk  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight.  Do  God  the  honor  to 
trust  Him  when  it  comes  to  matters  of  loss  for  the  sake  of 
principle.  See  whether  He  will  be  your  debtor  !  See  if  He 
doth  not  even  in  this  life  prove  His  word  that  "  godliness, 
with  contentment,  is  great  gain,"  and  that  they  who  "  seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness  shall  have 
all  these  things  added  unto  them."  Should  it  happen  that, 
in  the  providence  of  God,  you  are  a  loser  by  conscience,  you 
shall  find  that  if  the  Lord  pays  you  not  back  in  the  silver  of 
sarthly  prosperity,  He  will  discharge  His  promise  in  the  gold 
of  spiritual  joy.  Remember  that  a  man's  life  consisteth  not 
m  the  abundance  of  that  which  he  possesseth.  To  wear  a 
guileless  spirit,  to  have  a  heart  void  of  offence,  to  have  the 
favor  and  smile  of  God,  is  greater  riches  than  the  mines  of 
Ophir  could  yield,  or  the  traffic  of  Tyre  could  win.  "  Bet- 
ter is  a  dinner  of  herbs  where  love  is,  than  a  stalled  ox  and 
inward  contention  therewith  '  An  ounct»  of  heart's-ease  ia 
worth  a  ton  of  gold. 


178  EVENING  HEADINGS.        June  25. 

"  The  dove  found  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  her  foot." —  Gen.  viii  9. 

SI^'^EADER,  can  you  find  rest  apart-from  the  ark,  Christ 
/^!jlV^  Jesus  ?  Then  be  assured  that  your  religion  is  vain. 
**''^^  Are  you  satisfied  with  anything  short  of  a  conscious 
knowledge  of  your  union  and  interest  in  Christ?  Then  woe 
unto  you.  If  you  profess  to  be  a  Christian,  yet  find  full  sat- 
isfaction in  worldly  pleasures  ind  pursuits,  your  profession  is 
false.  If  your  soul  can  stretch  herself  at  rest,  and  find  the 
bed  long  enough,  and  the  coverlet  broad  enough  to  cover 
her  in  the  chambers  of  sin,  then  you  are  a  hypocrite,  and  far 
enough  from  any  right  thoughts  of  Christ  or  perception  of 
His  preciousness.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  you  feel  that  if 
you  could  indulge  in  sin  without  punishment,  yet  it  would  be 
a  punishment  of  itself ;  and  that  if  you  could  have  the  whole 
world,  and  abide  in  it  forever,  it  would  be  quite  enough  misery 
not  to  be  parted  from  it ;  for  your  God  —  your  God  —  is  what 
your  soul  craves  after ;  then  be  of  good  courage,  thou  art  a 
child  of  God.  With  all  thy  sins  and  imperfections,  take  this 
to  thy  comfort :  If  thy  soul  has  no  rest  in  sin,  thou  art  not  as 
the  sinner  is  !  If  thou  art  still  crying  after  and  craving  after 
something  better,  Christ  has  not  forgotten  thee,  for  thou  hast 
not  quite  forgotten  Him.  The  believer  cannot  do  without 
his  Lord  ;  words  are  inadequate  to  express  his  thoughts  of 
Him.  We  cannot  live  on  the  sand  of  the  wilderness  ;  we 
want  the  manna  which  drops  from  on  high  ;  our  skin  bottles 
of  creature  confidence  cannot  yield  us  a  drop  of  moisture, 
but  we  drink  of  the  rock  which  follows  us,  and  that  rock  is 
Christ.  When  you  feed  on  Him  your  soul  can  sing,  "  He 
hath  satisfied  my  mouth  with  good  things,  so  that  my  youth 
is  renewed  like  the  eagle's ; "  but  if  you  have  Him  not,  your 
bursting  wine  vat  and  well-filled  barn  can  give  you  no  sor< 
of  satisfaction:  rather  lament  over  them  in  the  words  of 
wisdom,  "  Vanity  of  vanities,  all  is  vanity  !  " 


June  26.  evening  readings.  179 

"  Having  escaped  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world  through  lust.^ 
2  Peter  i.  4. 


1^6ANISn  forever  all  thought  of  indulging  the  flesh  if 
\\l  you  would  live  in  the  power  of  your  risen  Lord.  It 
were  ill  that  a  man  who  is  alive  in  Christ  should  dwell 
in  the  corruption  of  sin.  "  Why  seek  ye  the  living  among 
the  dead  ?  "  said  the  angel  to  Magdalene.  Should  the  living 
dwell  in  the  sepulchre  ?  Should  divine  life  be  immured  ia 
the  charnel-house  of  fleshly  lust  ?  How  can  we  partake  of 
the  cup  of  the  Lord  and  yet  drink  the  cup  of  Belial  ?  Sure- 
ly, believer,  from  open  lusts  and  sins  you  are  delivered  :  have 
you  also  escaped  from  the  more  secret  and  delusive  lime- 
twigs  of  the  Satanic  fowler  ?  Have  you  come  forth  from  the 
lust  of  pride  ?  Have  you  escaped  from  slothfulness  ?  Have 
you  clean  escaped  from  carnal  security  r  Are  you  seeking 
day  by  day  to  live  above  worldliness,  the  pride  of  life,  and 
the  insnaring  vice  of  avarice  ?  Remember,  it  is  for  this  that 
you  have  been  enriched  with  the  treasures  of  God.  If  you 
be  indeed  the  chosen  of  God  and  beloved  by  Him,  do  not 
sufi'er  all  the  lavish  treasure  of  grace  to  be  wasted  upon  you. 
Follow  after  holiness ;  it  is  the  Christian's  crown  and  glory. 
An  unholy  church  !  it  is  useless  to  the  world,  and  of  no  es- 
teem among  men.  It  is  an  abomination,  hell's  laughter, 
heaven's  abhorrence.  The  worst  evils  which  have  ever  come 
upon  the  world  have  been  brought  upon  her  by  an  unholy 
church.  0  Christian,  the  vows  of  God  are  upon  yon.  You 
are  God's  priest :  act  as  such.  You  are  God's  king :  reign 
over  your  lusts.  You  are  God's  chosen  :  do  not  associate 
with  Belial.  Heaven  is  your  portion  :  live  like  a  heavenly 
spirit,  so  shall  you  prove  that  you  have  true  faith  in  Jesus, 
for  there  cannot  to  faith  in  the  heart  unless  there  ^e  hclinesj 
ia  the  life. 

•'  Lord,  I  desire  to  live  as  one 

Who  bears  a  blood-boug^Iit  name, 
▲b  one  who  fears  but  grieving  Thee, 
And  knows  no  other  shame." 


180  EVENING    EEADiNGS.  Jun  3  27. 

"  Let  every  man  abide  in  the  same  calling  wherein  he  was  called." 
1  Corinthians  vii.  20. 


5J1<5^0ME  persons  have  the  foolish  notion  thai  the  only  way 
L.  \ni  jjj  which  they  can  live  for  God  is  by  becoming  min- 
isters, missionaries,  or  Bible  women.  Alas !  hew 
many  would  be  shut  out  from  any  opportunity  of  magnify- 
ing the  Most  High  if  this  were  the  case  !  Beloved,  it  is  not 
office,  it  is  earnestness ;  it  is  not  position,  it  is  grace  which 
will  enable  us  to  glorify  God.  God  is  most  surely  glorified 
in  that  cobbler's  stall,  where  the  godly  worker,  as  he  plies 
the  awl,  sings  of  the  Saviour's  love  —  ay,  glorifled  far  more 
than  in  many  a  prebendal  stall  where  official  religiousness 
performs  its  scanty  duties.  The  name  of  Jesus  is  glorified 
by  the  poor  unlearned  carter  as  he  drives  his  horse,  and 
blesses  his  God,  or  speaks  to  his  fellow-laborer  by  the  road- 
side, as  much  as  by  the  popular  divine  who,  throughout  the 
country,  like  Boanerges,  is  thundering  out  the  gospel.  God 
is  glorified  by  our  serving  Him  in  our  proper  vocations.^ 
Take  care,  dear  reader,  that  you  do  not  forsake  the  path  of 
duty  by  leaving  your  occupation,  and  take  care  you  do  not 
dishonor  your  profession  while  in  it.  Think  little  of  your- 
selves, but  do  not  think  too  little  of  your  callings.  Every 
lawful  trade  may  be  sanctified  by  the  gospel  to  noblest  ends. 
Turn  to  the  Bible,  and  you  will  find  the  most  menial  forms 
of  labor  connected  eilher  with  most  daring  deeds  of  faith,  or 
with  persons  whose  lives  have  been  illustrious  for  holiness. 
Therefore  be  not  discontented  with  your  calling.  Whatever 
God  has  made  your  position,  or  your  work,  abide  in  that, 
unless  you  are  quite  sure  that  He  calls  you  to  something  else. 
Let  your  first  care  be  to  glorify  God  to  the  utmost  of  your 
power  where  you  are.  Fill  your  present  sphere  to  His 
praise,  and  if  He  needs  you  in  another  He  will  show  it 
you.  This  evening  lay  aside  vexatious  ambition,  and  embrace 
peaceful  crntent. 


Jui«e  28.  EVENING  BiADINGS.  181 

"  But  Aaron's  rod  swalloiced  up  their  rods."   ^  Exodu-  vii.  12. 

j^HIS  incident  is  an  instructive  emblem  of  the  sure 
'jl]  victory  of  the  divine  handiwork  over  all  opposition. 
Whenever  a  divine  principle  is  cast  into  the  heart, 
though  the  devil  may  fashion  a  counterfeit,  and  produce 
Bwarms  of  opponents,  as  sure  as  ever  God  is  in  the  work,  it 
will  swallow  up  all  its  foes.  If  God's  grace  takes  possession 
of  a  man,  the  world's  magicians  may  throw  down  all  their 
rods  ;  and  every  rod  may  be  as  cunning  and  poisonous  as  a 
serpent,  but  Aaron's  rod  will  swallow  up  their  rods.  The 
sweet  attractions  of  the  cross  will  woo  and  win  the  man's 
heart,  and  he  who  lived  only  for  this  deceitful  earth  will 
now  have  an  eye  for  the  upper  spheres,  and  a  wing  to  mount 
into  celestial  heights.  When  grace  has  won  the  day,  the 
worldling  seeks  the  world  to  come.  The  same  fact  is  to  be 
observed  in  the  life  of  the  believer.  What  multitudes  of 
foes  has  our  faith  had  to  meet!  Our  old  sins  —  the  devil 
threw  them  down  before  us,  and  they  turned  to  serpents. 
What  hosts  of  them !  Ah,  but  the  cross  of  Jesus  destroys 
them  all.  Faith  in  Christ  makes  short  work  of  all  our  sins. 
Then  the  devil  has  launched  forth  another  host  of  serpents 
in  the  form  of  worldly  trials,  temptations,  unbelief;  but  faith 
in  Jesus  is  more  than  a  match  for  them,  and  overcomes  them 
all.  The  same  absorbing  principle  shines  in  the  faithful  ser- 
vice of  God ;  with  an  enthusiastic  love  for  Jesus,  difficulties 
are  surmounted,  sacrifices  become  pleasures,  suflPerings  are 
honors.  But  if  religion  is  thus  a  consuming  passion  in  the 
heart,  then  it  follows  that  there  are  many  persons  who  pro- 
fess religion,  but  have  it  not;  for  what  they  have  will  not 
bear  this  test.  Examine  yourself,  my  reader,  on  this  point. 
Aaron's  rod  proved  its  Heaven-given  power.  Is  your  religion 
doing  so?  If  Christ  be  anything,  He  must  be  evjrything. 
Oh,  rest  not  till  love  and  faith  in  Jesus  be  the  master  passions 
of  your  soul ! 

16 


182  EVENING  READINGS.        June  29 

"  Howbeit,  in  the  business  of  the  ambassadors  of  the  princes  of 
Babylon,  who  sent  unto  him  to  inquire  of  the  wonder  that  was 
done  in  the  land,  Ood  left  him,  to  try  him,  that  He  might  know 
all  that  was  in  his  heart."  —  2  Chronicles  xxxii.  31. 

^EZEKIAH  was  growing  so  inwardly  great,  and  prid- 
Yi  ing  himself  so  much  upon  the  favor  of  God,  that 
self-righteousness  crept  in,  and  through  his  carnal 
security,  the  grace  of  God  was  for  a  time,  in  its  more  active 
operations,  withdrawn.  Here  is  quite  enough  to  account  for 
his  folly  with  the  Babylonians  ;  for  if  the  grace  of  God  should 
leave  the  best  Christian,  there  is  enough  of  sin  in  his  heart 
to  make  him  the  worst  of  transgressors.  If  left  to  your- 
selves, you  who  are  warmest  for  Christ  would  cool  down  like 
Laodicea  into  sickening  lukewarniness ;  you  who  are  sound 
in  the  faith  would  be  white  with  the  leprosy  of  false  doctrine; 
you  who  now  walk  before  the  Lord  in  excellency  and  integ- 
rity would  reel  to  and  fro,  and  stagger  with  a  drunkenness 
of  evil  passion.  Like  the  moon  we  borrow  our  light;  bright 
as  we  are  when  grace  shines  on  us,  we  are  darkness  itself 
when  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  withdraws  Himself.  There' 
fore  let  us  cry  to  God  never  to  leave  us.  "  Lord,  take  not 
Thy  Holy  Spirit  from  us !  withdraw  not  from  us  Thine  in- 
dwelling grace  !  Hast  Thou  not  said,  '  I  the  Lord  do  keep 
it ;  I  will  water  it  every  moment :  lest  any  hurt  it,  I  will  keep 
it  night  and  day'?  Lord,  keep  us  everywhere.  Keep  us 
when  in  the  valley,  that  we  murmur  not  against  Thy  hum- 
bling hand ;  keep  us  when  on  the  mountain,  that  we  wax  not 
giddy  through  being  lifted  up ;  keep  us  in  youth,  when  our 
passions  are  strong;  keep  us  in  old  age,  when,  becoming 
conceited  of  our  wisdom,  we  may  therefore  prove  greater 
fools  than  the  young  and  giddy  ;  keep  us  when  we  come  to 
die,  l?st,  at  the  very  last,  we  should  deny  Thee  !  Keep  us 
living,  keep  us  dying,  keep  us  laboring,  keep  us  sufiFering, 
keep  us  fighting,  keep  us  resting,  keep  us  everywhere,  fox 
everywhere  we  need  Thee,  0  our  God  I " 


June  30.  etening  headings.  183 


"Ah,  Lord  God,  behold.  Thou  hast  wade  the  heaven  and  the  earth  by 
Thy  great  power  and  stretched  out  arm,  and  there  is  nothing  too 
hard  for  Thee." — Jeremiah  xxxii.  17. 

-,T  the  very  time  when  the  Chaldeans  surrounded  Jeru- 
|{^  salcm,  and  when  the  sword,  famine,  and  pestilence 
had  desolated  the  laud,  Jeremiah  was  commanded  bj 
God  to  purchase  a  field,  and  have  the  deed  of  transfer  legally 
sealed  and  witnessed.  This  was  a  strange  purchase  for  a 
rational  man  to  make.  Prudence  could  not  justify  it,  for  it 
was  buying  with  scarcely  a  probability  that  the  person  pur- 
chasing could  ever  enjoy  the  possession.  But  it  was  enough 
for  Jeremiah  that  his  God  Lad  bidden  him,  for  well  he  knew 
that  God  will  be  justified  of  all  His  children.  He  reasoned 
thus  :  "  Ah,  Lord  God  !  Thou  canst  make  this  plot  of  ground 
of  use  to  me  ;  Thou  canst  rid  this  land  of  these  oppressors  ; 
Thou  canst  make  me  yet  sit  under  my  vine  and  my  fig  tree 
in  the  heritage  which  I  have  bought;  for  Thou  didst  make 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  there  is  nothing  too  hard  for 
Thee."  This  gave  a  majesty  to  the  early  saints,  that  they 
dared  to  do  at  God's  command  things  which  carnal  reason 
would  condemn.  Whether  it  be  a  Noah  who  is  to  build  a 
ship  on  dry  land,  an  Abraham  who  is  to  offer  up  his  only  son, 
or  a  Moses  who  is  to  despise  the  treasures  of  Egypt,  or  a 
Joshua  who  is  to  besiege  Jericho  seven  days,  using  no  weap- 
ons hut  the  blasts  of  rams'  horns,  they  all  act  upon  God's 
command,  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  carnal  reason  ;  and  the 
Lord  gives  them  a  rich  reward  as  the  result  of  their  obedient 
faith.  Would  to  God  we  had  in  the  religion  of  these  mod- 
ern times,  a  more  potent  infusion  of  this  heroic  faith  in  God. 
If  we  would  venture  more  upon  the  naked  promise  of  God, 
we  should  enter  a  world  of  wonders  to  which  as  yet  we  are 
strangers.  Let  Jeremiah's  place  of  confidence  be  ours  — 
nothing  is  too  hard  for  the  God  that  created  the  heavens  and 
the  earth. 


184  EVENING    aEADlNGS.  Julj   1 

•'  The  voice  of  the  Lord  Ood  walking  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of 
the  day."  —  Genesis  iii.  8, 


I VI 


I)Y  soul,  now  that  the  cool  of  the  day  has  come,  retire 
|^lf||  a  while  and  hearken  to  the  voice  of  thy  God.  He  is 
always  ready  to  speak  with  thee  when  thou  art  pre- 
pared to  hear.  If  there  be  any  slowness  to  commune,  it  is 
not  on  His  part,  but  altogether  on  thine  own,  for  He  stands 
at  the  door  and  knocks,  and  if  His  people  will  but  open,  He 
rejoices  to  enter.  But  in  what  state  is  my  heart,  which  is 
my  Lord's  garden  ?  May  I  venture  to  hope  that  it  is  well 
trimmed  and  watered,  and  is  bringing  forth  fruit  fit  for  Him  ? 
If  not.  He  will  have  much  to  reprove  ;  but  still  I  pray  Him  to 
come  unto  me,  for  nothing  can  so  certainly  bring  my  heart 
into  a  right  condition  as  the  presence  of  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness, who  brings  healing  in  His  wings.  Come,  there- 
fore, 0  Lord  my  God ;  my  soul  invites  Thee  earnestly,  and 
waits  for  thee  eagerly.  Come  to  me,  0  Jesus,  my  well- 
beloved,  and  plant  fresh  flowers  in  my  garden,  such  as  I  see 
blooming  in  such  perfection  in  Thy  matchless  character ! 
Come,  0  my  Father,  who  art  the  Husbandman,  and  deal 
with  me  in  Thy  tenderness  and  prudence  !  Come,  0  Holy 
Spirit,  and  bedew  my  whole  nature,  as  the  herbs  are  now 
moistened  with  the  evening  dews.  Oh  that  God  would  speak 
to  me  !  Speak,  Lord,  for  Thy  servant  heareth.  Oh  that 
He  would  walk  with  me ;  I  am  ready  to  give  up  my  whole 
heart  and  mind  to  Him,  and  every  other  thought  is  hushed. 
I  am  only  asking  what  He  delights  to  give.  I  am  sure  that 
He  will  condescend  to  have  fellowship  with  me,  for  He  has 
given  me  His  Holy  Spirit  to  abide  with  me  forever.  Sweet 
is  the  cool  twilight,  when  every  star  seems  like  the  eye  of 
heaven,  and  the  cool  wind  is  as  the  breath  of  celestial  love. 
My  Father,  my  elder  Brother,  my  sweet  Comforter,  speak 
now  in  loving-kindness,  for  Thou  hast  opened  mine  ear,  and 
I.  am  not  rebellious. 


Jul}'  2.  EVENING    READI> -8.  186 


"Unto  Thee  will  I  cry,  0  Lord  my  rock;  he  not  silent  to  me:  lest, 
if  Thotc  he  silent  to  vie,  I  become  like  them  that  go  down  into  the 
pit."  —  Psalm  xxviii.  1. 

^fl['^  CRY  is  the  natural  expression  of  sorrow,  and  a  suit- 
^p|^  able  utterance  when  all  other  modes  of  appeal  fai\ 
^*^*^^  us  ;  but  the  cry  must  be  alone  directed  to  the  Lord, 
for  to  cry  to  man  is  to  waste  our  entreaties  upon  the  air. 
"VMien  we  consider  the  readiness  of  the  Lord  to  hear,  and 
His  ability  to  aid,  we  shall  see  good  reason  for  directing  all 
our  appeals  at  once  to  the  God  of  our  salvation.  It  will  be 
in  vain  to  call  to  the  rocks  in  the  day  of  judgment,  but  our 
Rock  attends  to  our  cries. 

"  Be  not  silent  to  me."  Mere  formalists  may  be  content 
without  answers  to  their  prayers,  but  genuine  suppliants  can- 
not ;  they  are  not  satisfied  with  the  results  of  prayer  itself 
in  calming  the  mind  and  subduing  the  will  —  they  must  go 
further,  and  obtain  actual  replies  from  heaven,  or  they  can- 
not rest ;  and  those  replies  they  long  to  receive  at  once ;  they 
dread  even  a  little  of  God's  silence.  God's  voice  is  often  so 
terrible  that  it  shakes  the  wilderness ;  but  His  silence  is 
equally  full  of  awe  to  an  eager  suppliant.  When  God  seema 
to  close  His  ear,  we  must  not  therefore  close  our  mouths,  but 
rather  cry  with  more  earnestness ;  for  when  our  note  grows 
shrill  with  eagerness  and  grief.  He  will  not  long  deny  us  a 
hearing.  What  a  dreadful  case  should  we  be  in  if  the  Lord 
should  become  forever  silent  to  our  prayers  !  "Lo.si,  if  Thou 
he  silent  to  me,  I  become  like  them  that  go  down  into  tho.  pit." 
Deprived  of  the  God  who  answers  prayer,  we  should  be  in  a 
more  pitiable  plight  than  the  dead  in  the  grave,  and  should 
soon  sink  to  the  same  level  as  the  lost  in  hell.  W'j  must 
have  answers  to  prayer :  ours  is  an  urgent  case  of  dire  ne- 
cessity ;  surely  the  Lord  will  speak  peace  to  our  agitated 
minds,  for  He  never  can  fi  >d  it  in  His  heart  tc  permit  His 
own  elect  to  perish. 
16* 


188  EVENING    READINGS.  July  3. 

"  If  we  suffer  we  shall  also  reign  with  Eim."  —  2  Timotly  ii.  12. 


M:^,E  must  not  imagine  that  we  are  suffering  for  Christ, 
and  with  Christ,  if  we  are  not  in  Christ.  Beloved 
friend,  are  you  trusting  to  Jesus  only  ?  If  not>  what- 
ever you  may  have  to  mourn  over  on  earth,  you  are  not 
"  suffering  with  Christ,"  and  have  no  hope  of  reigning  with 
Hiin  in  heaven.  Neither  are  we  to  conclude  that  all  a  Chris- 
tian's suflFerings  are  sufferings  with  Christ,  for  it  is  essential 
that  he  be  called  by  God  to  suffer.  If  we  are  rash  and  impru- 
dent, and  run  into  positions  for  which  neither  providence  nor 
grace  has  fitted  us,  we  ought  to  question  whether  we  are  not 
rather  sinning  than  communing  with  Jesus.  If  we  let  pas- 
uon  take  the  place  of  judgment,  and  self-will  reign  instead 
of  scriptural  authority,  we  shall  fight  the  Lord's  battles  with 
ihe  devil's  weapons,  and  if  we  cut  our  own  fingers  we  must 
act  be  surprised.  Again,  in  troubles  which  come  upon  us  as 
■he  result  of  sin,  we  must  tiot  dream  that  we  are  suffering  with 
Christ.  When  Miriam  spoke  evil  of  Moses,  and  the  leprosy 
polluted  her,  she  was  not  suffering  for  God.  Moreover,  suf- 
fering which  God  accepts  must  have  God's  glory  as  its  end.  If 
I  suffer  that  I  may  earn  a  name,  or  win  applause,  I  shall  get 
no  other  reward  than  that  of  the  Pharisee.  It  is  requisite, 
also,  that  love  to  Jesus,  and  love  to  His  elect,  be  ever  the  main- 
spring of  all  our  patience.  We  must  manifest  the  spirit  of 
Christ  in  meekness,  gentleness,  and  forgiveness.  Let  us 
search  and  see  if  we  truly  suffer  with  Jesus.  And  if  we  do 
thus  suffer,  what  is  our  "light  afiliction"  compared  with 
reigning  with  Him?  Oh,  it  is  so  blessed  to  be  in  the  furnace 
with  Christ,  and  such  an  honor  to  stand  in  the  pillory  with 
Him,  that  if  there  were  no  future  reward,  we  might  count 
ourselves  happy  in  present  honor ;  but  when  the  recompense 
is  so  eternal,  so  infinitely  more  than  we  had  any  right  to  ex- 
pect, shall  we  not  take  up  the  cross  with  alacrity,  and  go  OD 
our  way  rejoicing  ? 


July  4.  EVENING    READINGS.  18' 

•*  ne  that  hath  clean  hands,  and  a  pure  heart ;  who  hath  not  lifted 
up  his  soul  unto  vanity,  nor  sworn  deceitfully."  —  Psalm  xxiv.  4. 

j?^UTWARD  practical  holiness  is  a  very  precious  mark 
m'k  of  grace.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  many  professors 
have  perverted  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith 
in  such  a  way  as  to  treat  gooc^  works  with  contempt ;  if  so, 
they  will  receive  everlasting  contempt  at  the  last  great  day. 
If  our  hands  are  not  clean,  let  us  wash  them  in  Jesus'  pre- 
cious blood,  and  so  let  us  lift  up  pure  hands  unto  God.  But 
**  clean  hands"  will  not  suffice,  unless  they  are  connected 
with  "  a  pure  heart."  True  religion  is  heart-work.  We  may 
wash  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  the  platter  as  long  as  we 
please,  but  if  the  inward  parts  be  filthy,  we  are  filthy  alto- 
gether in  the  sight  of  God,  for  our  hearts  are  more  truly 
ourselves  than  our  hands  are  ;  the  very  life  of  our  being  lies 
in  the  inner  nature,  and  hence  the  imperative  need  of  purity 
within.  The  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God  ;  all  others  are  but 
blind  bats. 

The  man  who  is  born  for  heaven  "  hath  not  lifted  up  his 
soul  unto  vanity."  All  men  have  their  joys,  by  which  their 
souls  are  lifted  up ;  the  worldling  lifts  up  his  soul  in  carnal 
delights,  which  are  mere  empty  vanities  ;  but  the  saint  loves 
more  substantial  things ;  like  Jehoshaphat,  he  is  lifted  up 
in  the  ways  of  the  Lord.  He  who  is  content  with  husks  will 
be  reckoned  with  the  swine.  Does  the  world  satisfy  thee  ? 
Then  thou  hast  thy  reward  and  portion  in  this  life ;  make 
much  of  it,  for  thou  shalt  know  no  other  joy. 

"  Nor  sworn  deceitfully."  The  saints  are  men  of  honor 
still.  The  Christian  man's  word  is  his  only  oath ;  but  that 
is  as  good  as  twenty  oaths  of  other  men.  False  speaking 
will  shut  any  man  out  of  heaven,  for  a  liar  shall  not  enter 
into  God's  house,  whatever  may  be  his  professions  or  doings. 
Reader,  does  the  text  before  us  condemn  thee,  or  dost  thoa 
kope  to  ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord  ? 


188  EVENING    HEADINGS.  Julj  5 

"  Trust  ye  in  the  Lord  forever :  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  ever- 
lasting strength." —  Isaiah  xxvi.  4. 

^^ji^^^EEING  that  we  have  such  a  God  to  trust  to,  let  us 
^5^^  rest  upon  Him  with  all  our  weight ;  let  us  resolutely 
^^''^  drive  out  all  unbelief,  and  endeavor  to  get  rid  of 
doubts  and  fears,  which  so  much  mar  our  comfort ;  since 
there  is  no  excuse  for  fear  where  God  is  the  foundation  of 
our  trust.  A  loving  parent  would  be  sorely  grieved  if  hia 
child  could  not  trust  him  ;  and  how  ungenerous,  how  unkind 
is  our  conduct  when  we  put  so  little  confidence  in  our  heav- 
enly Father,  who  has  never  failed  us,  and  who  never  will ! 
It  were  well  if  doubting  were  banished  from  the  household 
of  God ;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  that  old  Unbelief  is  as  nimble 
nowadays  as  when  the  psalmist  asked,  "  Is  His  mercy  clean 
gone  forever  ?  Will  He  be  favorable  no  more  ?  "  David  had 
not  made  any  very  lengthy  trial  of  the  mighty  sword  of  the 
giant  Goliath,  and  yet  he  said,  "  There  is  none  like  it."  He 
had  tried  it  once  in  the  hour  of  his  youthful  victory,  and  it 
had  proved  itself  to  be  of  the  right  metal,  and  therefore  f.e 
praised  it  ever  afterwards ;  even  so  should  we  speak  well 
of  our  God  ;  there  is  none  like  unto  Him  in  the  heaven  above 
or  the  earth  beneath :  "  To  whom  then  will  ye  liken  Me,  or 
shall  I  be  equal?  saith  the  Holy  One."  There  is  no  rock  like 
unto  the  rock  of  Jacob,  our  enemies  themselves  being  judg- 
es. So  far  from  suffering  doubts  to  live  in  our  hearts,  we 
will  take  the  whole  detestable  crew,  as  Elijah  did  the  proph- 
ets of  Baal,  and  slay  them  over  the  brook  ;  and  for  a  stream 
to  kill  them  at,  we  will  select  the  sacred  torrent  which  wells 
forth  from  our  Saviour's  wounded  side.  We  have  been  in 
many  trials,  but  we  have  never  yet  been  cast  where  we  could 
not  find  in  our  God  all  that  we  needed.  Let  us  then  be  en- 
couraged to  trust  in  the  Lord  forever,  assured  that  His 
everlasting  strength  will  be,  as  it  has  been,  our  f  uccor  and 
Btaj. 


July  6.  even:no  beadinos.  189 

"  How  many  are  vine  iniquities  and  sins!"      Job  xiii.  23. 

^AVE  you  ever  really  weighed  and  considered  how 
■^  gre.at  the  sin  of  God'a  people  is  ?  Think  how  hei- 
nous is  your  own  transgression,  and  you  will  find  that 
not  only  does  a  sin  here  and  there  tower  up  like  an  alp,  but 
that  your  iniquities  are  heaped  upon  each  other,  as  in  the  old 
fable  of  the  giants  who  piled  Pelion  upon  Ossa,  mountain 
upon  mountain.  What  an  aggregate  of  sin  there  is  in  the 
life  of  one  of  the  most  sanctified  of  God's  children  !  Attempt 
to  multiply  this,  the  sin  of  one  only,  by  the  multitude  of  the 
redeemed,  "  a  number  which  no  man  can  number,"  and  you 
will  have  some  conception  of  the  great  mass  of  the  guilt  of 
the  people  for  whom  Jesus  shed  His  blood.  But  we  arrive 
at  a  more  adequate  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  sin,  by  the  great- 
ness of  the  remedy  provided.  It  is  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ, 
God's  only  and  well-beloved  Son.  God's  Son  !  Angels  cast 
their  crowns  before  Him  !  All  the  choral  symphonies  of 
heaven  surround  His  glorious  throne.  "  God  over  all,  bless- 
ed forever.  Amen."  And  yet  He  takes  upon  Himself  the 
form  of  a  servant,  and  is  scourged  and  pierced,  bruised  and 
torn,  and  at  last  slain ;  since  nothing  but  the  blood  of  the 
incarnate  Son  of  God  could  make  atonement  for  our  offences. 
No  human  mind  can  adequately  estimate  the  infinite  value 
of  the  divine  sacrifice,  for  great  as  is  the  sin  of  God's  people, 
the  atonement  which  takes  it  away  is  immeasurably  greater. 
Therefore  the  believer,  even  when  sin  rolls  like  a  black 
flood,  and  the  remembrance  of  the  past  is  bitter,  can  yet 
stand  before  the  blazing  throne  of  the  great  and  holy  God, 
and  cry,  "  Who  is  He  that  condemneth  r  It  is  Christ  that 
died ;  yea,  rather,  that  hath  risen  again."  While  the  recol- 
lection of  his  sin  fills  him  with  shame  and  sorrow,  he  at  the 
same  time  makes  it  a  foil  to  show  the  brightness  of  mercy 
—  guilt  is  the  dark  night  in  which  the  fair  star  of  divine  lov« 
ihines  with  serene  splendor. 


190  EVENING    KEADINGS.  Julj  7 

"  When  I  passed  by  thee,  I  said  unto  thee,  Live."  —  Ezek.  x\i.  6. 

j^^^AVED  one,  consider  gratefully  this  mandate  of  mercy. 
Note  that  this  fiat  of  God  is  majestic.  In  our  text, 
■we  perceive  a  sinner  with  nothing  in  him  but  sin,  ex- 
pecting nothing  but  wrath  ;  but  the  eternal  Lord  passes  by  in 
His  glory  ;  He  looks,  He  pauses,  and  He  pronounces  the  soli- 
tary but  royal  word,  "  Live."  There  speaks  a  God.  Who 
but  He  could  venture  thus  to  deal  with  life  and  dispense  it 
with  a  single  syllable  ?  Again  :  this  fiat  is  manifold.  When 
He  saith,  "  Live,"  it  includes  many  things.  Here  is  judicial 
life.  The  sinner  is  ready  to  be  condemned,  but  the  mighty 
One  saith,  "  Live,"  and  he  rises  pardoned  and  absolved.  It 
is  spiritual  life.  We  knew  not  Jesus  —  our  eyes  could  not 
see  Christ,  our  ears  could  not  hear  His  voice  — Jehovah  said, 
"  Live,"  and  we  were  quickened  who  were  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins.  Moreover,  it  includes  glory-life,  which  is  the  per- 
fection of  spiritual  life.  "  I  said  unto  thee.  Live  :  "  and  that 
word  rolls  on  through  all  the  years  of  time  till  death  comes  ; 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  shadows  of  death,  the  Lord's  voice  is 
still  heard,  "  Live  !  "  In  the  morning  of  the  resurrection  it 
is  that  self-same  voice  which  is  echoed  by  the  archangel, 
"  Live,"  and  as  holy  spirits  rise  to  heaven  to  be  blest  forever 
in  the  glory  of  their  God,  it  is  in  the  power  of  this  same  word, 
"  Live."  Note  again,  that  it  is  an  irresistible  mandate.  Saul 
of  Tarsus  is  on  the  road  to  Damascus  to  arrest  the  saints  of 
the  living  God.  A  voice  is  heard  from  heaven,  and  a  light 
is  seen  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  and  Saul  is  crying 
out,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  "  This  mandate 
is  a  mandate  oi  free  grace.  When  sinners  are  saved,  it  is 
only  and  solely  because  God  ivill  do  it  to  magnify  His  free, 
unpurchased,  unsought  grace.  Christians,  see  your  posi- 
tion —  debtors  to  grace ;  show  your  gratitude  by  earnest, 
Christ-like  lives,  and  as  God  has  bidden  you  live,  see  to  it 
that  jou  live  in  earnest. 


July  8.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  191 

•*  Lead  me  in  TJit/  truth,  and  teach  me :  for  Thou  art  i  le  Ood  of 
my  salvation;  on  Thee  do  I  wait  all  the  day."  —  Pa.  xxv.  5. 

$\Fi[^JIEN  the  believer  has  begun  with  trembling  feet  to 
Mb.Hh  walk  in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  he  asks  to  be  still  led 
*^*^  onward  like  a  little  child  upheld  by  its  parent's  help- 
ing hand,  and  he  craves  to  be  further  instructed  in  the  alpha- 
bet of  truth.  Experimental  teaching  is  the  burden  of  this 
piayer.  David  knew  much,  but  he  felt  his  ignorance,  and 
desired  to  be  still  in  the  Lord's  school :  four  times  over  in 
two  verses  he  applies  for  a  scholarship  in  the  college  of 
grace.  It  were  well  for  many  professors  if,  instead  of  fol- 
lowing their  own  devices,  and  cutting  out  new  paths  of 
thought  for  themselves,  they  would  inquire  for  the  good  old 
ways  of  God's  own  truth,  and  beseech  the  Holy  Ghost  to  give 
them  sanctiBed  understandings  and  teachable  spirits.  "  For 
Thou  art  the  God  of  my  salvation."  The  Three-One  Jeho- 
vah is  the  Author  and  Perfector  of  salvation  to  His  people. 
Reader,  is  He  the  God  of  your  salvation  ?  Do  you  find  in 
the  Father's  election,  in  the  Son's  atonement,  and  in  the 
Spirit's  quickening,  all  the  grounds  of  your  eternal  hopes  ? 
If  so,  you  may  use  this  as  an  argument  for  obtaining  further 
blessings ;  if  the  Lord  has  ordained  to  save  you,  surely  He 
will  not  refuse  to  instruct  you  in  His  ways.  It  is  a  happy 
thing  when  we  can  address  the  Lord  with  the  confidence  which 
David  here  manifests  ;  it  gives  us  great  power  in  prayer,  and 
comfort  in  trial.  *'  On  Thee  do  I  wait  all  the  day."  Patience 
is  the  fair  handmaid  and  daughter  of  faith ;  we  cheerfully 
wait  when  we  are  certain  that  we  shall  not  wait  in  vain.  It 
is  our  duty  and  our  privilege  to  wait  upon  the  Lord  in  ser- 
vice, in  worship,  in  expectancy,  in  trust,  all  the  days  of  our 
life.  Our  faith  will  be  tried  faith,  »nd  if  it  be  of  the  true 
kind,  it  will  bear  continued  trial  without  yielding.  We  shall 
not  grow  weary  of  waiting  upon  God  if  we  remember  hoN» 
long  and  how  graciously  He  once  waited  fo»'  us. 


192  EVENING    HEADINGS.  Julj  9 

"And  Ood  divided  the  light  from  the  darkness."  —  Gen.  i.  4. 

j  ^  BELIEVER  has  two  principles  at  work  within  him. 
In  his  natural  estate  he  was  subject  to  one  principle 
only,  which  was  darkness ;  now  light  has  entered, 
and  the  two  principles  disagree.  Mark  the  apostle  Paul's 
vords  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans  :  "  I  find  then  a  law, 
that,  when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me.  For  I 
delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  :  but  I  see 
another  law  in  my  members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my 
mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin,  which 
is  in  my  members."  How  is  this  state  of  things  occasioned  ? 
"  The  Lord  divided  the  light  from  the  darkness."  Dark- 
ness, by  itself,  is  quiet  and  undisturbed  ;  but  when  the  Lord 
sends  in  light,  there  is  a  conflict,  for  the  one  is  in  opposition 
to  the  other  :  a  conflict  which  will  never  cease  till  the  be- 
liever is  altogether  light  in  the  Lord.  If  there  be  a  division 
toithin  the  individual  Christian,  there  is  certain  to  be  a  divis- 
ion luithout.  So  soon  as  the  Lord  gives  to  any  man  light,  he 
proceeds  to  separate  himself  from  the  darkness  around;  he 
secedes  from  a  merely  worldly  religion  of  outward  ceremo- 
nial, for  nothing  short  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  will  now  sat- 
isfy him,  and  he  withdraws  himself  from  worldly  society  and 
frivolous  amusements,  and  seeks  the  company  of  the  saints, 
for  "  we  know  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because 
we  love  the  brethren."  The  light  gathers  to  itself,  and  the 
darkness  to  itself.  What  God  has  divided  let  us  never  try 
to  unite  ;  but  as  Christ  went  without  the  camp,  bearing  Hia 
reproach,  so  let  us  come  out  from  the  ungodly,  and  be  a 
peculiar  people.  He  was  holy,  harmless,  uudetiled,  separate 
from  sinners  ;  and,  as  He  was,  so  we  are  to  be  nonconform- 
ists to  the  world,  dissenting  from  all  sin,  and  distinguished 
from  the  rest  of  mankind  by  our  likeness  to  our  Master, 


July  10.  EVENING    READINGS.  193 

"And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  thejirst  day." 
Genesis  i  5. 


^^*^HE  evening  was  "  darkness  "  and  the  morning  was 
^ll[^|  "  ^'o'^^'*'  ^^^  y®*'  '^^  '*''<'  together  are  called  by  the  name 
tJC*pcui  fj^^f^  ^g  given  to  the  light  alone  I  This  is  somewhat 
remarkable,  but  it  has  an  exact  analogy  in  spiritual  experi- 
ence. In  every  believer  there  is  darkness  and  light,  and  yet 
he  is  not  to  be  named  a  sinner  because  there  is  sin  in  him, 
but  he  is  to  be  named  a  saint  because  he  possesses  some  de- 
gree of  holiness.  This  will  be  a  most  comforting  thought 
to  those  who  are  mourning  their  infirmities,  and  who  ask, 
"  Can  I  be  a  child  of  God  while  there  is  so  much  darkness 
in  me  ? "  Yes  ;  for  you,  like  the  day,  take  not  your  name 
from  the  evening,  but  from  the  morning  ;  and  you  are  spoken 
of  in  the  word  of  God  as  if  you  were  even  now  perfectly  holy, 
as  you  will  be  soon.  You  are  called  the  child  of  light,  though 
there  is  darkness  in  you  still.  You  are  named  after  what  is 
the  predominating  quality  in  the  sight  of  God,  which  will 
one  day  be  the  only  principle  remaining.  Observe  that  the 
evening  comes  first.  Naturally  we  are  darkness  first  in  order 
of  time,  and  the  gloom  is  often  first  in  our  mournful  appre- 
hension, driving  us  to  cry  out  in  deep  humiliation,  "  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  The  place  of  the  morning  is  sec- 
ond ;  it  dawns  when  grace  overcomes  nature.  It  is  a  blessed 
aphorism  of  John  Bunyan,  "  That  which  is  last,  lasts  for- 
ever."  That  which  is  first,  yields  in  due  season  to  the  last ; 
but  nothing  comes  after  the  last.  So  that  though  you  are 
naturally  darkness,  when  once  you  become  light  in  the  Lord, 
there  is  no  evening  to  follow  ;  "  thy  sun  shall  no  more  go 
down."  The  first  day  in  this  life  is  an  evening  and  a 
morning  ;  but  the  second  day,  when  we  shall  be  with  God 
forever,  shall  bo  a  day  with  no  evening,  but  one  sacred, 
high,  eternal  noon. 
17 


194  BVKNING    READINGS.  July   11. 


"  Tdl  ye  your  cldldren  of  it,  and  let  your  children  tell  their  chiU 
dren,  and  their  children  another  generation."  —  Joel  i.  3. 

[j^fN  this  simple  way,  by  God's  grace,  a  living  testimouy 
^1  for  truth  is  always  to  be  kept  alive  in  the  land  —  the 
beloved  of  the  Lord  are  to  hand  down  their  witness 
for  the  gospel,  and  the  covenant  to  their  heirs,  and  these 
again  to  their  next  descendants.  This  is  our  first  duty  ;  we 
&re  to  begin  at  the  family  hearth  :  he  is  a  bad  preacher  who 
does  not  commence  his  ministry  at  home.  The  heathen  are 
to  be  sought  by  all  means,  and  the  highways  and  hedges  are 
to  be  searched  ;  but  home  has  a  prior  claim,  and  woe  unto 
those  who  reverse  the  order  of  the  Lord's  arrangements. 
To  teach  our  children  is  a  personal  duty ;  we  cannot  dele- 
gate it  to  Sunday  School  Teachers,  or  other  friendly  aids ; 
these  can  assist  us,  but  cannot  deliver  us  from  the  sacred 
obligation  ;  proxies  and  sponsors  are  wicked  devices  in  this 
case  :  mothers  and  fathers  must,  like  Abraham,  command 
their  households  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  talk  with  their  off- 
spring concerning  the  wondrous  works  of  the  Most  High. 
Parental  teaching  is  a  natural  duty  —  who  so  fit  to  look  to 
the  child's  well-being  as  those  who  are  the  authors  of  his 
actual  being  ?  To  neglect  the  instruction  of  our  offspring 
is  worse  than  brutish.  Family  religion  is  necessary  for  the 
nation,  for  the  family  itself,  and  for  the  church  of  God.  By 
a  thousand  plots  Popery  is  covertly  advancing  in  our  land, 
and  one  of  the  most  effectual  means  for  resisting  its  inroads 
is  left  almost  neglected,  namely,  the  instruction  of  children 
in  the  faith.  Would  that  parents  would  awaken  to  a  sense 
of  the  importance  of  this  matter.  It  is  a  pleasant  duty  to 
talk  of  Jesus  to  our  sons  and  daughters,  and  the  more  so 
because  it  has  often  proved  to  be  an  accepted  work,  for  God 
has  saved  the  children  through  the  parents'  prayers  and  ad- 
monitions. May  every  house  into  which  this  volume  shaU 
come,  honor  the  Lord  and  receive  His  emile. 


July  12.  EVENING    READINGS.  19A 

"  His  heavenly  kingdom."  —  2  Timothy  iv.  18. 


IW 


i^ONDER  city  of  the  great  King  is  a  place  of  active 
service.  Ransomed  spirits  serve  Him  day  and  night 
/"  in  his  temple.  They  never  cease  to  fulGl  the  gooi 
pleasure  of  their  King.  They  always  "  rest,"  so  far 
•3  ease  and  freedom  from  care  is  concerned  ;  and  never 
•'  rest,"  in  the  sense  of  indolence  or  inactivity.  Jerusalem 
the  golden  is  the  place  of  communion  with  all  the  people  of 
God.  We  shall  sit  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  eter- 
nal fellowship.  We  shall  hold  high  converse  with  the  noble 
host  of  the  elect,  all  reigning  with  Him  who  by  His  love  and 
His  potent  arm  has  brought  them  safely  home.  We  shall  not 
sing  solos,  but  in  chorus  shall  we  praise  our  King.  Heaven 
is  a  place  of  victory  realized.  Whenever,  Christian,  thou 
b«,st  achieved  a  victory  over  thy  lusts  —  whenever,  after 
hard  struggling,  thou  hast  laid  a  temptation  dead  at  thy  feet 
—  thou  hast  in  that  hour  a  foretaste  of  the  joy  that  awaits 
thee  when  the  Lord  shall  shortly  tread  Satan  under  thy  feet, 
and  thou  shalt  find  thyself  more  than  conqueror  through  Him 
who  hath  loved  thee.  Paradise  is  a  place  of  security.  When 
you  enjoy  the  full  assurance  of  faith,  you  have  the  pledge 
of  that  glorious  security  which  shall  be  yours  when  you  are 
a  perfect  citizen  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  0  my  sweet 
home,  Jerusalem,  thou  happy  harbor  of  my  soul !  Thanks, 
even  now,  to  Him  whose  love  hath  taught  me  to  long  for 
Thee  ;  but  louder  thanks  in  eternity,  when  I  shall  possesB 
thee. 

*'  My  Boul  has  tafitcd  of  the  grapes. 
And  DOW  it  longs  to  go 
Where  my  dear  Lord  Ills  vineyard  keep*, 
And  all  tlic  clusters  grow. 

*♦  Upon  the  true  and  living  vine 
My  famished  soul  would  feast. 
And  banquet  on  the  fruit  divine. 
An  evtirlaotiDY  i^est.  '  "'^' 


196  EVENING    READINGS.  Julj  IS. 

"  When  I  cry  unto  Tliee,  then  shall  mine  enemies  turn  back:  this  1 
know ;  for  Ood  is  for  me."  —  Psalm  Ivi.  9. 

^S^I^T  is  impossible  for  any  human  speech  to  express  the 
•!§v  I  vjK  full  meaning  of  this  delightful  phrase,  ^*God  is  for 
y/^Rky  „jg  "  jjg  yyas  "  for  us "  before  the  worlds  were 
made  ;  He  was  "  for  us,"  or  He  would  not  have  given  His 
well-beloved  Son  ;  He  was  "  for  us "  when  He  smote  the 
only-begotten,  and  laid  the  full  weight  of  His  wrath  upon 
Him  —  He  was  "for  us,"  though  He  was  against  Him;  He 
jvas  "  for  us  "  when  we  were  ruined  in  the  fall  —  He  loved 
as  notwithstanding  all  ;  He  was  "  for  us "  when  we  were 
rebels  against  Him,  and  with  a  high  hand  were  bidding  Him 
defiance ;  He  was  "  for  us,"  or  He  would  not  have  brought 
as  humbly  to  seek  His  face.  He  has  been  "  for  us  "  in  many 
struggles  ;  we  have  been  summoned  to  encounter  hosts  of 
dangers  ;  we  have  been  assailed  by  temptations  from  with- 
out and  within  —  how  could  we  have  remained  unharmed  to 
this  hour  if  He  had  not  been  "for  us"  ?  He  is  "for  us" 
mih  all  the  infinity  of  His  being ;  with  all  the  omnipotence 
df  His  love  ;  with  all  the  infallibility  of  His  wisdom  ;  ar- 
rayed in  all  His  divine  attributes.  He  is  "  for  us  "  —  eter- 
aally  and  immutably  "  for  us  ; "  "  for  us  "  when  yon  blue 
ikies  shall  be  rolled  up  like  a  worn-out  vesture  ;  "  for  us  " 
throughout  eternity.  And  because  He  is  "  for  us,"  the  voice 
of  prayer  will  always  insure  His  help.  "  When  I  cry  unto 
Thee,  then  shall  mine  enemies  be  turned  back.''  This  is  no 
ancertain  hope,  but  a  well-grounded  assurance  —  "  this  1 
know."  I  will  direct  my  prayer  unto  Thee,  and  will  look  up 
/or  the  answer,  assured  that  it  will  come,  and  that  mine  ene- 
mies shall  be  defeated,  "  for  God  is  for  me."  0  believer, 
how  happy  art  thou  with  the  King  of  kings  on  thy  side 
How  safe  with  such  a  Protector  !  How  sure  thy  cause, 
pleaded  by  such  an  Advocate  !  If  God  be  for  thee,  who  can 
be  against  thee  ? 


July  14.  BTICNINO    KEADIN08.  197 


'  As  it  hty;an  to  dawn,  came  Magdalene  to  see  the  sepulchre." 
Mjitthew  xxviii.  1. 

IIS'^Si^T  U3  learn  from  Mary  Magdalene  how  to  obtain  fel- 
lowship with  the  Lord  Jesus.  Notice  how  she  sought. 
She  sought  the  Saviour  very  early  in  the  morning.  If 
thou  canst  wait  for  Christ,  and  be  patient  in  the  hope  of  hav- 
ing fellowship  with  Him  at  some  distant  season,  thou  wilt 
never  have  fellowship  at  all ;  for  the  heart  that  is  fitted  for 
communion  is  a  hungering  and  a  thirsting  heart.  She  sought 
Him  also  with  very  great  boldness.  Other  disciples  fled  from 
the  sepulchre,  for  they  trembled  and  were  amazed  ;  but  Mary, 
it  is  said,  "  stood "  at  the  sepulchre.  If  you  would  have 
Christ  with  you,  seek  Him  boldly.  Let  nothing  hold  you 
back.  Defy  the  world.  Press  on  where  others  flee.  She 
sought  Christ  faithfully  —  she  stood  at  the  sepulchre.  Some 
find  it  hard  to  stand  by  a  living  Saviour,  but  she  stood  by  a 
dead  one.  Let  us  seek  Christ  after  this  mode,  cleaving  to 
the  very  least  thing  that  has  to  do  with  Him,  remaining  faith- 
ful though  all  others  should  forsake  Him.  Note  further,  she 
Bought  Jesus  earnestly  —  she  stood  "  iveeping."  Those  tear- 
droppings  were  as  spells  that  led  the  Saviour  captive,  and 
made  Him  come  forth  and  show  Himself  to  her.  If  you  de- 
sire Jesus'  presence,  weep  after  it !  If  you  cannot  be  happy 
unless  He  come  and  say  to  you,  "  Thou  art  My  beloved,"  you 
will  soon  hear  His  voice.  Lastly,  she  sought  the  Saviour 
only.  What  cared  she  for  angels ;  she  turned  herself  back 
from  them  ;  her  search  was  only  for  her  Lord.  If  Christ  be 
your  one  and  only  love,  if  your  heart  has  cast  out  all  rivals, 
you  will  not  long  lack  the  comfort  of  His  presence.  Mary 
Magdalene  sought  thus  because  she  loved  much.  Let  ua 
arouse  ourselves  to  the  same  intensity  of  aff"ection  ;  let  oui 
heart,  like  Mary's,  be  fsll  of  Christ,  and  our  love,  like  hers, 
will  be  satisfied  with  nothing  sho  t  of  Himself.  0  Lord,  re 
veal  Thyself  to  us  this  evening  I 
17* 


198  EVENING    HEADINGS.  Jolj  15. 

"  He  ippeared first  to  Mary  Magdalene."  —  Mark  xvi.  9. 

S;!ESUS  "  appeared  first  to  Mary  Magdalene,"  probably 
X'  not  only  on  account  of  her  great  love  and  persever- 
'^'  ing  seeking,  but  because,  as  the  context  intimates, 
»\e  had  been  a  special  trophy  of  Christ's  deliverinff  poioer. 
Learn  from  this,  that  the  greatness  of  our  sin  before  conver- 
sion should  not  make  us  imagine  that  we  may  not  be  specially 
favored  with  the  very  highest  grade  of  fellowship.  She  was 
one  who  had  left  all  to  become  a  constant  attendant  on  the 
Saviour.  He  was  her  first,  her  chief  object.  Many  who 
were  on  Christ's  side  did  not  take  up  Christ's  cross ;  she  did. 
She  spent  her  substance  in  relieving  His  wants.  If  we  would 
see  much  of  Christ,  let  us  serve  Him.  Tell  me  who  they  are 
that  sit  oftenest  under  the  banner  of  His  love,  and  drink 
deepest  draughts  from  the  cup  of  communion,  and  I  c>m  sure 
they  will  be  those  who  give  most,  who  serve  best,  and  who 
abide  closest  to  the  bleeding  heart  of  their  dear  Lord.  But 
notice  how  Christ  revealed  Himself  to  this  sorrowing  one  — 
by  o  word,  "  Mary."  It  needed  but  one  word  in  His  voice., 
and  at  once  she  knew  Him,  and  her  heart  owned  allegiance  by 
another  ivord,  her  heart  was  too  full  to  say  more.  That  one 
word  would  naturally  be  the  most  fitting  for  the  occasion. 
It  implies  obedience.  She  said,  '^'^Master."  There  is  no 
state  of  mind  in  which  this  confession  of  allegiance  will  be 
too  cold.  No,  when  your  spirit  glows  most  with  the  heavenly 
fire,  then  you  will  say,  "  I  am  Thy  servant.  Thou  hast  loosed 
my  bonds."  If  you  can  say,  "  Master,"  if  you  feel  that 
His  will  is  your  will,  then  you  stand  in  a  happy,  holy  place. 
He  must  have  said,  "  Mary,"  or  else  you  could  not  have 
said,  "  Rabboni."  See,  then,  from  all  this,  how  Christ  hon- 
ors those  who  honor  Him,  how  love  draws  our  Beloved, 
how  it  needs  but  one  word  of  His  to  turn  our  weeping  tc 
rejoicing,  how  His  presence  makes  the  heart's  sunshine. 


July   16.  EVENING    READINGS.  199 


•'  Thou  shall  arise,  and  have  mercy  upon  Zion:  for  ihe  time  to  fa- 
vor her,  t/ea,  the  set  time  is  come.  For  Thy  servants  take  pleasure 
in  her  stones,  and  favor  the  dust  IhercoJ."  —  Psalm  cii.  13,  14. 


i 


J[^  SELFISH  man  in  trouble  is  exceedingly  hard  to 
'1*'  comfort,  because  the  springs  of  his  comfort  lie  entire- 
^  ly  within  himself,  and  when  he  is  sad  all  his  springs 
are  dry.  But  a  large-hearted  man,  full  of  Christian  philan 
thropy,  has  other  springs,  from  which  to  supply  himself  with 
comfort,  besides  those  which  lie  within.  He  can  go  to  his 
God  first  of  all,  and  there  find  abundant  help  ;  and  he  can 
discover  arguments  for  consolation  in  things  relating  to  the 
world  at  large,  to  his  country,  and  above  all,  to  the  church, 
David,  in  this  Psalm,  was  exceedingly  sorrowful ;  he  wrote, 
"  I  am  like  an  owl  of  the  desert.  I  watch,  and  am  as  a  spar- 
row alone  upon  the  house-top."  The  only  way  in  which  he 
could  comfort  himself,  was  in  the  reflection  that  God  would 
arise,  and  have  mercy  upon  Zion :  though  he  was  sad,  yet 
Zion  should  prosper  ;  however  low  his  own  estate,  yet  Zion 
should  arise.  Christian  man  !  learn  to  comfort  thyself  in 
God's  gracious  dealing  towards  the  church.  That  which  is 
80  dear  to  thy  Master,  should  it  not  be  dear  above  all  else 
to  thee  ?  What  though  thy  way  be  dark,  canst  thou  not 
gladden  thine  heart  with  the  triumphs  of  His  cross  and  the 
spread  of  His  truth  ?  Our  own  personal  troubles  arc  for- 
gotten while  we  look,  not  only  upon  what  God  has  done,  and 
is  doing  for  Zion,  but  on  the  glorious  things  He  will  yet  do 
for  His  church.  Try  this  receipt,  0  believer,  whenever 
thou  art  sad  of  heart  and  in  heaviness  of  spirit :  Forget  thy- 
self and  thy  little  concerns,  and  seek  the  welfare  and  pros- 
perity of  Zion.  When  thou  beudest  thy  knee  in  prayer  to 
God,  limit  not  thy  petition  to  the  narrow  circle  of  thine  own 
life,  tried  though  it  be,  but  send  out  thy  longing  prayers  for 
the  church's  prosperity.  "  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem,' 
»nd  thine  own  soul  shall  be  refreshed. 


200  ETENiNG  HEADINGS.  July  17. 

"  Let  not  one  of  them  escape."  —  1  Kings  xviii.  40. 

;HEN  the  prophet  Elijah  had  received  the  answer  to 
'KJk  his  prayer,  and  the  fire  from  heaven  had  consumed 
^^  the  sacrifice  in  the  presence  of  all  the  people,  he 
called  upon  the  assembled  Israelites  to  take  the  priests  of 
Bfial,  and  sternly  cried,  "  Let  not  one  of  them  escape."  He 
took  them  all  down  to  the  brook  Kishon,  and  slew  them 
there.  So  must  it  be  with  our  sins  —  they  are  all  doomed  ; 
not  one  must  be  preserved.  Our  darling  sin  must  die. 
Spare  it  not  for  its  much  crying.  Strike,  though  it  be  aa 
dear  as  an  Isaac.  Strike,  for  God  struck  at  sin  when  it  was 
laid  upon  His  own  Son.  With  stern,  unflinching  purpose 
must  you  condemn  to  death  that  sin  which  was  once  the  idol 
of  your  heart.  Do  you  ask  how  you  are  to  accomplish  this  ^ 
Jesus  will  be  your  power.  You  have  grace  to  overcome  sin 
given  you  in  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  you  have  strength  to 
win  the  victory  in  the  crusade  against  inward  lusts,  because 
Christ  Jesus  has  promised  to  be  with  you  even  unto  the  end. 
If  you  would  triumph  over  darkness,  set  yourself  in  the  pres- 
snce  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  There  is  no  place  so  well 
adapted  for  the  discovery  of  sin,  and  recovery  from  its  pow- 
er and  guilt,  as  the  immediate  presence  of  God.  Job  never 
knew  how  to  get  rid  of  sin  half  so  well  as  he  did  when  his 
eye  of  faith  rested  upon  God  ;  and  then  he  abhorred  himself, 
and  repented  in  dust  and  ashes.  The  fine  gold  of  the  Chris- 
tian is  oft  becoming  dim.  We  need  the  sacred  fire  to  con- 
sume the  dross.  Let  us  fly  to  our  God.  He  is  a  consuming 
fire  ;  he  will  not  consume  our  spirit,  but  our  sins.  Let  the 
goodness  of  God  excite  us  to  a  sacred  jealousy  and  to  a 
holy  revenge  against  those  iniquities  which  are  hateful  in 
His  sight.  Go  forth  to  battle  with  Amalek  in  His  strength, 
and  utterly  destroy  the  accursed  crew:  let  not  one  of  them 
escape. 


July  18.  BVEXING    KEADINGS.  20 \ 

•*  NeitJier  shall  one  thrust  another ;  they  shall  walk  every  one  in  hU 
path:'  —  ioe\\\.  8. 

\K5jOCUSTS  always  keep  their  rank,  and  although  their 
>f)l  number  is  legion,  they  do  not  crowd  upon  each  other, 
so  as  to  throw  their  columns  into  confusion.  This 
/smarkable  fact  in  natural  history  shows  how  thoroughly  the 
Lord  has  infused  the  spirit  of  order  into  His  universe,  since 
fhe  smallest  animate  creatures  are  as  much  controlled  by  it 
as  are  the  rolling  spheres  or  the  seraphic  messengers.  It 
would  be  wise  for  believers  to  be  ruled  by  the  same  influ- 
2n.ce,  in  all  their  spiritual  life.  In  their  Christian  graces  no 
one  virtue  should  usurp  the  sphere  of  another,  or  eat  out  the 
vitals  of  the  rest  for  its  own  support.  Affection  must  not 
smother  honesty,  courage  must  not  elbow  meekness  out  of 
the  field,  modesty  must  not  jostle  energy,  and  patience  must 
not  slaughter  resolution.  So  also  with  our  duties ;  one  must 
not  interfere  with  another;  public  usefulness  must  not  injure 
private  piety  ;  church  work  must  not  push  family  worship 
into  a  corner.  It  is  ill  to  offer  God  one  duty  stained  with 
the  blood  of  another.  Each  thing  is  beautiful  in  its  season, 
but  not  otherwise.  It  was  to  the  Pharisee  that  Jesus  said, 
"  This  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to  have  left  the  other 
undone."  The  same  rule  applies  to  our  personal  position  ; 
we  must  take  care  to  know  our  place,  take  it,  and  keep  to  it. 
We  must  minister  as  the  Spirit  has  given  us  ability,  and  not 
intrude  upon  our  fellow-servant's  domain.  Our  Lord  Jesus 
taught  us  not  to  covet  the  high  places,  but  to  be  willing  to 
be  the  least  among  the  brethren.  Far  from  us  be  an  envi- 
ous, ambitious  spirit ;  let  us  feel  the  force  of  the  Master's 
command,  and  do  as  He  bids  us,  keeping  rank  with  the  rest 
of  the  host.  To-night  let  us  see  whether  we  are  keeping  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace,  and  let  our  prayer 
be,  that  in  all  the  churches  of  the  Lord  Jesi*"  pea  to  and 
order  may  preyail. 


202  ETENING    HEADINGS.  JuIy  19, 

"  A  bruised  reed  shall  He  not  break,  and  smoking  flax  shall  he  noi 
quench." — Matthew  xii.  20. 

I^HAT  is  weaker  than  the  bruised  reed  or  the  smoking 
flax  ?  A  reed  that  groweth  in  the  fen  or  marsh,  let 
but  the  wild  duck  light  upon  it,  and  it  snaps  ;  let  but 
the  foot  of  man  brush  against  it,  and  it  is  bruised  and  broken  ; 
every  wind  that  flits  across  the  river  moves  it  to  and  fro. 
You  can  conceive  of  nothing  more  frail  or  brittle,  or  whose 
existence  is  more  in  jeopardy,  than  a  bruised  reed.  Then 
look  at  the  smoking  flax  —  what  is  it  ?  It  has  a  spark  with- 
in it,  it  is  true,  but  it  is  almost  smothered  ;  an  infant's  breath 
might  blow  it  out ;  nothing  has  a  more  precarious  existence 
than  its  flame.  Weak  things  are  here  described,  yet  Jesus 
says  of  them,  "  The  smoking  flax  I  will  not  quench ;  the 
bruised  reed  I  will  not  break."  Some  of  God's  children  are 
made  strong  to  do  mighty  works  for  Him  ;  God  has  His 
Samsons  here  and  there,  who  can  pull  up  Gaza's  gates,  and 
carry  them  to  the  top  of  the  hill ;  He  has  a  few  mighties  who 
are  lion-like  men,  but  the  majority  of  His  people  are  a  timid, 
trembling  race.  They  are  like  starlings,  frightened  at  every 
passer-by  ;  a  little  fearful  flock.  If  temptation  comes,  they 
are  taken  like  birds  in  a  snare  ;  if  trial  threatens,  they  are 
ready  to  faint ;  their  frail  skiff"  is  tossed  up  and  down  by 
every  wave,  they  are  drifted  along  like  a  sea-bird  on  the 
crest  of  the  billows  —  weak  things,  without  strength,  without 
wisdom,  without  foresight.  Yet,  weak  as  they  are,  and  be- 
cause they  are  so  weak,  they  have  this  promise  made  special- 
ly to  them.  Herein  is  grace  and  graciousness  !  Herein  is 
love  and  loving-kindness  !  How  it  opens  to  us  the  compas- 
sion of  Jesus  —  so  gentle,  tender,  considerate  !  We  need 
never  shrink  back  from  His  touch.  We  need  never  fear  a 
harsh  word  from  Him  ;  though  he  might  well  chide  us  for  our 
weakness.  He  rebuketh  not.  Bruised  reeds  shall  have  no 
blows  from  Him,  and  the  smoking  flax  no  damping  frowns. 


July  20.  ETTSNING   BEADING8.  203 

"And  now  what  hast  thou  to  do  in  the  way  of  Egyptf  to  drink  tht 
waters  of  Sihor9"  —  Jeremiah  ii.  18. 

KfcjH^Y  sundry  miracles,  by  divers  mercies,  by  strange  de- 
"j^J  iSfi  liverances  Jehovah  had  proved  Himself  to  be  worthy 
^^^**^  of  Israel's  trust.  Yet  they  broke  down  the  hedges 
with  which  God  had  enclosed  them  as  a  sacred  garden  ;  they 
forsook  their  own  true  and  living  God,  and  followed  after 
false  gods.  Constantly  did  the  Lord  reprove  them  for  this 
infatuation,  and  our  text  contains  one  instance  of  God's  ex- 
postulating with  them  :  "  What  hast  thou  to  do  in  the  way  of 
Egypt,  to  drink  the  waters  of  the  muddy  river  ?  "  —  for  so  it 
may  be  translated.  "  Why  dost  thou  wander  afar,  and  leave 
thine  own  cool  stream  from  Lebanon  ?  Why  dost  thou  for- 
sake Jerusalem  to  turn  aside  to  Noph  and  to  Tahapanes  ? 
Why  art  thou  so  strangely  set  on  mischief,  that  thou  canst 
not  be  content  with  the  good  and  healthful,  but  wouldst  fol- 
low after  that  which  is  evil  and  deceitful  ?  "  Is  there  not 
here  a  word  of  expostulation  and  warning  to  the  Christian  ? 
0  true  believer,  called  by  grace  and  washed  in  the  precious 
blood  of  Jesus,  thou  hast  tasted  of  better  drink  than  the 
muddy  river  of  this  world's  pleasure  can  give  thee  ;  thou 
hast  had  fellowship  with  Christ ;  thou  hast  obtained  the  joy 
of  seeing  Jesus,  and  leaning  thine  head  upon  His  bosom.  Do 
the  trifles,  the  songs,  the  honors  the  merriment  of  this  earth 
content  thee  after  that  ?  Hast  thou  eaten  the  bread  of  angels, 
and  canst  thou  live  on  husks  ?  Good  Rutherford  once  said, 
*'  I  have  tasted  of  Christ's  own  manna,  and  it  hath  put  my 
mouth  out  of  taste  for  the  brown  bread  of  this  world's  joys." 
Methinks  it  should  be  so  with  thee.  If  thou  art  wandering 
after  the  waters  of  Egypt,  oh,  return  quickly  to  the  one  liv- 
ing fountain  :  the  waters  of  Sihor  may  be  sweet  to  the  Egyp- 
tians, but  they  will  prove  only  bitterness  to  thee.  What  hast 
thou  to  do  with  them  :  Jesus  asks  thee  this  question  this 
evening  —  what  wilt  thou  answer  Him  ? 


204  B-VENiNG  READINGS.  July  21 

"  Why  go  I  mourning  ?  "  —  Psalm  xlii.  9. 

'ANST  thou  answer  this,  believer  ?  Canst  thou  find 
^^  any  reason  why  thou  art  so  often  mourning  instead 
of  rejoicing  ?  Why  yield  to  gloomy  anticipations  ? 
Who  told  thee  that  the  night  would  never  end  in  day  ?  Whd 
told  thee  that  the  sea  of  circumstances  would  ebb  out  till 
there  should  be  nothing  left  but  long  leagues  of  the  mud  of 
horrible  poverty  ?  Who  told  thee  that  the  winter  of  thy  dis- 
content would  proceed  from  frost  to  frost,  from  snow,  and 
ice,  and  hail,  to  deeper  snow,  and  yet  more  heavy  tempest 
of  despair  ?  Knowest  thou  not  that  day  follows  night,  that 
flood  come?  after  ebb,  that  spring  and  summer  succeed  tp 
winter  ?  Hope  thou  then  !  Hope  thou  ever  !  for  God  fails 
thee  not.  Dost  thou  not  know  that  thy  God  loves  thee  in 
the  midst  of  all  this  ?  Mountains,  when  in  darkness  hidden, 
are  as  real  as  in  day,  and  God's  love  is  as  true  to  thee  now 
as  it  was  in  thy  brightest  moments.  No  father  chastens  al- 
ways :  thy  Lord  hates  the  rod  as  much  as  thou  dost ;  he  only 
cares  to  use  it  for  that  reason  which  should  make  thee  willing 
to  receive  it,  namely,  that  it  works  thy  lasting  good.  Thou 
shalt  yet  climb  Jacob's  ladder  with  the  angels,  and  behold 
Him  who  sits  at  the  top  of  it  —  thy  covenant  God.  Thou 
shalt  yet,  amidst  the  splendors  of  eternity,  forget  the  trials 
of  time,  or  only  remember  them  to  bless  the  God  who  led 
thee  through  them,  and  wrought  thy  lasting  good  by  them. 
Come,  sing  in  the  midst  of  tribulation.  Rejoice  even  while 
passing  through  the  furnace.  Make  the  wilderness  to  blos- 
som like  the  rose  !  Cause  the  desert  to  ring  with  thine  ex- 
ulting joya,  for  these  light  afflictions  will  soon  be  over,  and 
then,  "  forever  with  the  Lord,"  thy  bliss  shall  never  wane. 

'  Faiut  not  nor  foar;  His  arms  are  near; 
He  changeth  not,  and  thou  art  dear; 
Only  believe,  and  thou  ehalt  see 
That  Christ  is  all  in  all  to  thee." 


.Taly  22.  evening  readings.  20-5 

"  Behold  the  Man ! "  —  John  xix.  5. 


^WP  there  be  one  place  where  our  Lord  Jesus  most  fully 
''^^  becomes  the  joy  and  comfort  of  His  people,  it  is 
•^  where  He  plunged  deepest  into  the  depths  of  woe. 
Come  hither,  gracious  souls,  and  behold  the  Man  in  the  gar- 
den of  Gethsemane  ;  behold  His  heart  so  brimming  with  love 
that  He  cannot  hold  it  in  —  so  full  of  sorrow  that  it  must 
find  a  vent.  Behold  the  bloody  sweat  as  it  distils  from  every 
pore  of  His  body,  and  falls  upon  the  ground.  Behold  the 
Man  as  they  drive  the  nails  into  His  hands  and  feet.  Look 
up,  repenting  sinners,  and  see  the  sorrowful  image  of  your 
suffering  Lord.  Mark  Him,  as  the  ruby  drops  stand  on  the 
thorn-crown,  and  adorn  with  priceless  gems  the  diadem  of  the 
King  of  Misery.  Behold  the  Man  when  all  His  bones  are 
out  of  joint,  and  He  is  poured  out  like  water  and  brought 
into  the  dust  of  death  ;  God  hath  forsaken  Him,  and  hell 
compasseth  Him  about.  Behold  and  see  :  was  there  ever 
sorrow  like  unto  His  sorrow  that  is  done  unto  Him  ?  All  ye 
that  pass  by,  draw  near  and  look  upon  fchis  spectacle  of  grief, 
unique,  unparalleled,  a  wonder  to  men  and  angels,  a  prodigy 
unmatched.  Behold  the  Emperor  of  Woe,  who  had  no  equal 
or  rival  in  His  agonies  !  Gaze  upon  Him.  ye  mourners,  for 
if  there  be  not  consolation  in  a  crucified  Christ,  there  is  no 
joy  in  earth  or  heaven.  If  in  the  ransom  price  of  His  blood 
there  be  not  hope,  ye  harps  of  heaven,  there  is  no  joy  in 
you,  and  the  right  hand  of  God  shall  know  no  pleasures  for- 
evermore.  We  *have  only  to  sit  more  continually  at  the 
cross-foot  to  be  less  troubled  with  our  doubts  and  woes. 
We  have  but  to  see  His  sorrows,  and  our  sorrowe  we  shall 
be  ashamed  to  mention  ;  we  have  but  io  gaze  into  His 
wounds,  and  heal  our  own.  If  we  would  live  aright,  it  must 
be  by  the  contemplation  of  His  death ;  if  we  would  rise  to 
dignity,  it  must  be  by  considering  His  humiliation  and  His 
sorrow. 

18 


206  EVENING   READINGS.  July  23, 

**  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin." 
1  John  i.  7. 

iEANSETH,"  says  the  text  — not  "  shall  cleanse." 
^^  There  are  multitudes  who  think  that  as  a  dying 
hope  they  may  look  forward  to  pardon.  Oh,  how 
infinitely  better  to  have  cleansing  now  than  to  depend  on  the 
bare  possibility  of  forgiveness  when  I  come  to  die.  Some 
imagine  that  a  sense  of  pardon  is  an  attainment  only  obtain- 
able after  many  years  of  Christian  experience.  But  forgive- 
ness of  sin  is  a  present  thing  —  a  privilege  for  this  day,  a  joy 
for  this  very  hour.  The  moment  a  sinner  trusts  Jesus,  he 
is  fully  forgiven.  The  text,  being  written  in  the  present 
tense,  also  indicates  continuance  :  ft  was  "  cleanseth  "  yes- 
terday, it  is  "  cleanseth  "  to-day,  it  will  be  "  cleanseth  "  to- 
morrow :  it  will  always  be  so  with  you.  Christian,  until  you 
cross  the  river  ;  every  hour  you  may  come  to  this  fountain, 
for  it  cleanseth  still.  Notice,  likewise,  the  completeness  of 
the  cleansing.  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  Son  cleans- 
eth us  from  all  sin"  —  not  only  from  sin,  but  "from  all  sin." 
Reader,  I  cannot  tell  you  the  exceeding  sweetness  of  this 
word,  but  I  pray  God  the  Holy  Ghost  to  give  you  a  taste  of 
it.  Manifold  are  our  sins  against  God.  Whether  the  bill 
be  little  or  great,  the  same  receipt  can  discharge  one  as  the 
other.  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  is  as  blessed  and  divine  a 
payment  for  the  transgressions  of  blaspheming  P«ter  as  for 
the  shortcomings  of  loving  John ;  our  iniquity  is  gone,  all 
gone  at  once,  and  all  gone  forever.  Blessed  complete- 
ness !  What  a  sweet  theme  to  dwell  upon  as  one  givea 
himself  to  sleep. 

"  Sins  against  a  holy  God ; 

Sins  against  His  righteous  laws; 
Sins  against  His  love,  His  blood; 

Sins  against  His  name  and  caaae; 
Sins  immense  as  is  the  sea  — 
ITrom  them  all  He  cleanseth  me.** 


July  24.  EVENING    EEADIN09.  207 

•'  Ilig  caynp  ix  very  great."  —  Juel  ii.  11. 

R^^^^ONSTDER,  uiy  soul,  the  mightiness  of  the  Lord,  who  is 
^l^c-^J  thy  glory  and  defence.  He  is  a  man  of  war  ;  Jehovah 
^^  "^  is  His  name.  All  the  forces  of  heaven  are  at  His  beck, 
legions  wait  at  His  door,  cherubim  and  seraphim,  watchers 
and  holy  ones,  principalities  and  powers,  all  are  attentive  to 
His  will.  If  our  eyes  were  not  blinded  by  the  ophthalmia  of 
the  flesh,  we  should  see  horses  of  fire  and  chariots  of  fire 
round  about  the  Lord's  beloved.  The  powers  of  nature  are 
all  subject  to  the  absolute  control  of  the  Creator :  stormy 
wind  and  tempest,  lightning  and  rain,  and  snow  and  hail,  and 
the  soft  dews  and  cheering  sunshine,  come  and  go  at  His  de- 
cree. The  bands  of  Orion  He  looseth,  and  bindeth  the  sweet 
influences  of  the  Pleiades.  Earth,  sea,  and  air,  and  the  places 
under  the  earth,  are  the  barracks  for  Jehovah's  great  armies ; 
space  is  His  camping-ground,  light  is  His  banner,  and  flame 
is  His  sword.  When  He  goeth  forth  to  war,  famine  ravages 
the  land,  pestilence  smites  the  nations,  hurricane  sweeps  the 
sea,  tornado  shakes  the  mountains,  and  earthquake  makes  the 
solid  world  to  tremble.  As  for  animate  creatures,  they  all  own 
His  dominion,  and  from  the  great  fish  which  swallowed  the 
prophet,  down  to  "  all  manner  of  flies,"  which  plagued  the 
field  of  Zoan,  all  are  His  servants,  and  like  the  palmer-worm, 
the  caterpillar,  and  the  canker-worm,  are  squadrons  of  His 
great  army,  for  His  camp  is  very  great.  My  soul,  see  to  it 
that  thou  be  at  peace  with  this  mighty  King ;  yea,  more,  be 
sute  to  enlist  under  His  banner,  for  to  war  against  Him  is 
madness,  and  to  serve  Him  is  glory.  Jesus,  Immanuel,  God 
with  us,  is  ready  to  receive  recruits  for  the  army  of  the  Lord: 
if  I  am  not  already  enlisted,  let  me  go  to  Him  ere  I  sleep, 
and  beg  to  be  accepted  through  His  merits  ;  and  if  I  be  al- 
ready, as  I  hope  I  am,  a  soldier  of  the  cross,  let  me  be  of 
good  courage,  for  the  enemy  is  powerless  compared  with  mj 
Lord,  whose  camp  is  very  great. 


208  EVENING  KEADiNGs.  July  25, 


"  In  their  affliction  they  will  seek  Me  early."  —  Hosea  v.  15. 

^')S,,^OSSES  and  adversities  are  frequently  the  means  which 
W I ^1  *^^  great  Shepherd  uses  to  fetch  home  His  wandering 
'"■^^  sheep  ;  lilje  fierce  dogs  they  worry  the  wanderers  back 
to  the  fold.  There  is  no  making  lions  tame  if  they  are  too 
well  fed ;  they  must  be  brought  down  from  their  great 
strength,  and  their  stomachs  must  be  lowered,  and  then  they 
will  submit  to  the  tamer's  hand ;  and  often  have  we  seen  the 
Christian  rendered  obedient  to  his  Lord's  will  by  straituess 
of  bread  and  hard  labor.  When  rich  and  increased  in  goods, 
many  professors  carry  their  heads  much  too  loftily,  and  speak 
exceeding  boastfully.  Like  David,  they  flatter  themselves, 
"  My  mountain  standeth  fast ;  I  shall  never  be  moved." 
When  the  Christian  groweth  wealthy,  is  in  good  repute,  hath 
good  health,  and  a  happy  family,  he  too  often  admits  Mr. 
Carnal  Security  to  feast  at  his  table  ;  and  then,  if  he  be  a  true 
child  of  God,  there  is  a  rod  preparing  for  him.  Wait  a 
while,  and  it  may  be  you  will  see  his  substance  melt  away  as 
a  dream.  There  goes  a  portion  of  his  estate  —  how  soon  the 
acres  change  hands  !  That  debt,  that  dishonored  bill  —  how 
fast  his  losses  roll  in  !  where  will  they  end  ?  It  is  a  blessed 
sign  of  divine  life  if,  when  these  embarrassments  occur  one 
after  another,  he  begins  to  be  distressed  about  his  backslid- 
ings,  and  betakes  himself  to  his  God.  Blessed  are  the  waves 
that  wash  the  mariner  upon  the  rock  of  salvation !  Losses 
in  business  are  often  sanctified  to  our  souls'  enriching.  If 
the  chosen  soul  will  not  come  to  the  Lord  full-handed,  it 
shall  come  empty.  If  God,  in  His  grace,  findeth  no  other 
means  of  making  us  honor  Him  among  men.  He  will  cast  us 
into  the  deep  ;  if  we  fail  to  honor  Him  on  the  pinnacle  of 
riches,  He  will  bring  us  into  the  valley  of  poverty.  Yet  faint 
not,  heir  of  sorrow,  when  thou  art  thus  rebuked  ;  rather  rec- 
ognize the  loving  hand  which  chastens,  and  say,  "I  will  arise 
aad  go  unto  my  Father." 


July  '26.  ElENIMG    BLADINGS.  209 

•'  That  lie  may  set  ?iim  with  princes." — Psalm  cxiii.  8. 

^S^UIl  spiritual  privileges  are  of  the  highest  order. 
1^2]  "  Among  princes "  is  the  place  of  select  socieli^- 
*>-"*l  ((  Truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  witt 
Ilia  Son  Jesus  Christ."  Speak  of  select  society,  there  is 
none  like  this  I  "  We  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  peculiar 
people,  a  royal  priesthood."  "  We  are  come  unto  the  gen- 
eral assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born,  whose  names  are 
written  in  heaven."  The  saints  have  courtly  audience  :  princes 
have  admittance  to  royalty  when  common  people  must  stand 
afar  off.  The  child  of  God  has  free  access  to  the  inner  courts 
of  heaven.  "  For  through  Him  we  both  have  access  by  one 
Spirit  unto  the  Father."  "  Let  us  come  boldly,"  says  the 
apostle,  "  to  the  throne  of  the  heavenly  grace."  Among 
princes  there  is  abundant  wealth  ;  but  what  is  the  abundance 
of  princes  compared  with  the  riches  of  believers  ?  for  "  all 
things  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's." 
"  He  that  spared  not  His  own  Son,  but  delivered  Him  up  for 
us  all,  how  shall  He  not  with  Him  also  freely  give  us  all 
things  ?"  Pnaces  have  peculiar  power.  A  prince  of  heaven's 
empire  has  great  influence  :  he  wields  a  sceptre  in  his  own 
domain  ;  he  sits  upon  Jesus'  throne,  for  "  He  hath  made  us 
kings  and  priests  unto  God,  and  we  shall  reign  forever  and 
ever."  We  reign  over  the  united  kingdom  of  time  and  eter- 
nity. Princes,  again,  have  special  honor.  We  may  looV 
down  upon  all  earth-born  dignity  from  the  eminence  upon 
which  grace  has  placed  us.  For  what  is  human  grandeur  to 
this,  "  He  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  togeth- 
er in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus  "  ?  We  share  .he  honor 
of  Christ,  and,  compared  with  this,  earthly  splendors  are  not 
wortli  a  thought.  Communion  with  Jesus  is  a  richer  gem 
than  ever  glittered  in  imperial  diadem.  Union  with  the  Lord 
is  a  coronet  of  beau'^y  outshining  all  the  blaze  of  imperial 
pomp. 

18* 


110  EVENING   HEADINGS.  July  27, 

"  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  " 
Romans  viii.  33. 

^^f?R)OST  blessed  challenge  !  How  unanswerable  it  is ! 
^f^f  1^!  ^'^^^ry  sin  of  the  elect  was  laid  upon  the  great  Cham- 
"T*  pion  of  our  salvation,  and  by  the  atonement  carried 
away.  There  is  no  sin  in  God's  book  against  His  people : 
He  seeth  no  sin  in  Jacob,  neither  iniquity  in  Israel ;  they 
are  justified  in  Christ  forever.  When  the  guilt  of  sin  was 
taken  away,  the  punishment  of  sin  was  removed.  For  the 
Christian  there  is  no  stroke  from  God's  angry  hand  —  nay, 
not  so  much  as  a  single  frown  of  punitive  justice.  The 
believer  may  be  chastised  by  his  Father,  but  God  the  Judge 
has  nothing  to  say  to  the  Christian,  except  "  I  have  absolved 
thee  :  thou  art  acquitted."  For  the  Christian  there  is  no 
penal  death  in  this  world,  much  less  any  second  death.  He 
is  completely  freed  from  all  the  punishment  as  well  as  the 
guilt  of  sin,  and  the  power  of  sin  is  removed  too.  It  may 
stand  in  our  way,  and  agitate  us  with  perpetual  warfare  ;  but 
sin  is  a  conquered  foe  to  every  soul  in  union  with  Jesus. 
There  is  no  sin  which  a  Christian  cannot  overcome  if  he  will 
only  rely  upon  his  God  to  do  it.  They  who  wear  the  white 
robe  in  heaven  overcame  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
and  we  may  do  the  same.  No  lust  is  too  mighty,  no  beset- 
ting sin  too  strongly  intrenched ;  we  can  overcome  through 
the  power  of  Christ.  Do  believe  it.  Christian,  that  thy  sin 
is  a  condemned  thing.  It  may  kick  and  struggle,  but  it  is 
doomed  to  die.  God  has  written  condemnation  across  its 
brow.  Christ  has  crucified  it,  "  nailing  it  to  His  cross."  Go 
now  and  mortify  it,  and  the  Lord  help  you  to  live  to  H« 
praise,  for  sin  with  all  its  guilt,  shame,  and  fear,  is  gone. 

"  Here's  pardon  for  transgressions  past. 
It  matters  not  bow  black  their  cast; 
And,  O  my  soul,  with  wonder  view» 
For  siuB  to  rcime  here's  pardon  too." 


July  28.  EVENING    READINGS.  211 

"  Who  went  about  doing  good."  — Acts  x.  38. 

<^^^|>5EW  words,  but  yet  an  exquisite  miniature  of  the  Lord 
^^  Jesus  Christ.  There  are  not  many  touches,  but  they 
are  the  strokes  of  a  master's  pencil.  Of  the  Saviour, 
and  only  of  the  Saviour,  is  it  true  in  the  fullest,  broadest, 
and  most  unqualified  sense.  "  He  went  about  doing  good. 
From  this  description  it  is  evident  that  He  did  good  person' 
ally.  The  evangelists  constantly  tell  us  that  He  touched  the 
leper  with  Plis  own  finger,  that  He  anointed  the  eyes  of  the 
blind,  and  that  in  cases  where  He  was  asked  to  speak  the 
word  only  at  a  distance,  He  did  not  usually  comply,  but  went 
Himself  to  the  sick  bed,  and  there  personally  wrought  the 
cure.  A  lesson  to  us,  if  we  would  do  good,  to  do  it  our- 
selves. Give  alms  with  your  own  hand;  a  kind  look,  or 
word,  will  enhance  the  value  of  the  gift.  Speak  to  a  friend 
about  his  soul ;  your  loving  appeal  will  have  more  influence 
than  a  whole  library  of  tracts.  Our  Lord's  mode  of  doing 
good  sets  forth  His  incessant  activity  I  He  did  not  only  the 
good  which  came  close  to  hand,  but  He  "  went  about"  on 
His  errands  of  mercy.  Throughout  the  whole  land  of  Judea 
there  was  scarcely  a  village  or  a  hamlet  which  was  not  glad- 
dened by  the  sight  of  Him.  How  this  reproves  the  creeping, 
loitering  manner  in  which  many  professors  serve  the  Lord ! 
Let  us  gird  up  the  loins  of  our  mind,  and  be  not  weary  in 
well  doing.  Does  not  the  text  imply  that  Jesus  Christ  went 
out  of  His  tvay  to  do  good?  "  He  went  about  doing  good." 
He  was  never  deterred  by  danger  or  difficulty.  He  sought 
out  the  objects  of  His  gracious  intentions.  So  must  we. 
If  old  plans  will  not  answer,  we  must  try  new  ones,  for 
fresh  experiments  sometimes  achieve  more  than  regular 
methods.  Christ's  perseverance,  and  the  unity  of  His  pur- 
pose, are  also  hinted  at,  and  the  practical  application  of 
the  subject  may  be  summed  up  in  the  words,  "  He  hath  left 
us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  in  His  steos." 


212  EVENING   READINGS.  July  29. 

"  All  that  the  Father  giveth  Me  shall  come  to  Me."  —  John  vi.  37. 

'=^1118  declaration  involves  the  doctrine  of  election :  ihera 
are  some  whom  the  Father  gave  to  Christ.  It  in- 
volves the  doctrine  of  effectual  calling  :  these  who  are 
given  must  and  shall  come  ;  however  stoutly  they  may  set 
themselves  against  it,  yet  they  shall  be  brought  out  of  dark- 
ness into  God's  marvellous  light.  It  teaches  us  the  indispen- 
sable  necessity  of  faith ;  for  even  those  who  are  given  to 
Christ  are  not  saved  except  they  come  to  Jesus.  Even  they 
must  come,  for  there  is  no  other  way  to  heaven  but  by  th( 
door,  Christ  Jesus.  All  that  the  Father  gives  to  our  Re- 
deemer must  come  to  Him;  therefore  none  can  come  to 
heaven  except  they  come  to  Christ. 

Oh,  the  power  and  majesty  which  rest  in  the  words  "  shall 
come^^ !  He  does  not  say  they  have  power  to  come,  nor  they 
may  come  if  they  will,  but  they  "  shall  come.'''  The  Lord 
Jesus  doth  by  His  messengers,  His  word,  and  His  Spirit, 
sweetly  and  graciously  compel  men  to  come  in  that  they  may 
eat  of  His  marriage  supper ;  and  this  He  does,  not  by  any 
violation  of  the  free  agency  of  man,  but  by  the  power  of  His 
grace.  I  may  exercise  power  over  another  man's  will,  and 
yet  that  other  man's  will  may  be  perfectly  free,  because  the 
constraint  is  exercised  in  a  manner  accordant  with  the  laws 
of  the  human  mind.  Jehovah  Jesus  knows  how,  by  irresist- 
ible arguments  addressed  to  the  understanding,  by  mighty 
reasons  appealing  to  the  affections,  and  by  the  mysterious 
influence  of  His  Holy  Spirit  operating  upon  all  the  powers 
and  passions  of  the  soul,  so  to  subdue  the  whole  man,  that 
whereas  he  was  once  rebellious,  he  yields  cheerfully  to  His 
government,  subdued  by  sovereign  love.  But  how  shall  those 
be  known  whom  God  hath  chosen  ?  By  this  result :  That 
they  do  willingly  and  joyfully  accept  Christ,  and  come  to 
Him  with  simple  and  unfeigned  faith,  resting  upon  Him  as 
all  their  salvation  and  all  their  desire.  Keader,  have  joa 
thus  oome  to  J*  ~- '  ^ 


Ju'y  30.  EVENING    READINGS.  213 

"  nim  that  comet h  to  Me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  —  John  vi.  37. 

^^OjKO  limit  is  set  to  the  duration  of  this  promise.  It  does 
Qa  U^^  not  merely  say,  "  I  will  not  cast  out  a  sinner  at  his 
*^\'%^  first  coming,"  but,  "  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  The 
original  reads,  **  I  will  not,  not  cast  out,"  or  "  I  will  never, 
never  cast  out."  The  text  means,  that  Christ  will  not  at  first 
reject  a  believer ;  and  that  as  He  will  not  do  it  at  first,  so 
He  will  not  to  the  last. 

But  suppose  the  believer  sins  after  coming?  "If  any 
man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous."  But  suppose  that  believers  backslide  ?  "I 
will  heal  their  backsliding  ;  I  will  love  them  freely  :  for  Mine 
anger  is  turned  away  from  him."  But  believers  may  fall 
under  temptation  !  "  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer  you 
to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able  ;  but  will  with  the  temp- 
tation also  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear 
it."  But  the  believer  may  fall  into  sin,  as  David  did  !  Yes, 
but  He  will  "  purge  them  with  hyssop,  and  they  shall  be 
clean  ;  He  will  wash  them,  and  they  shall  be  whiter  than 
snow  ; "  "  From  all  their  iniquities  will  I  cleans -?  them." 

"Once  in  Christ,  in  Clirist  forever; 
Nothing  from  HIb  lore  can  sever." 

•*  I  give  unto  My  sheep,"  saith  He,  "  eternal  life  ;  and  they 
_hall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of 
My  hand."  What  sayest  thou  to  this,  0  trembling  feeble 
mind  ?  Is  not  this  a  precious  mercy,  that  coming  to  Christ, 
thou  dost  not  come  to  one  who  will  treat  thee  well  for  a  little 
wbile,  and  then  send  thee  about  thy  business,  but  He  will 
ff-ceive  thee  and  mak(!  thee  His  bride,  and  thou  shalt  be  His 
forever.  Receive  no  longer  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to 
fear,  but  the  spirit  of  adoption  whereby  thou  shalt  cry,  Ab- 
ba, Father !  Oh,  the  grace  of  these  words,  "  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out"  ! 


214  EVENING    HEADINGS.  Julj  31. 

''  And  these  are  the  singers  .  ,  .  they  we^e  employed  in  that  work 
day  and  night." —  1  Chronicles  ix.  33. 


i 


[|C;ELL  was  it  so  ordered  in  the  temple  that  the  sacred 
■jKh  chant  never  ceased :  forevermore  did  the  singers 
■^^^  praise  the  Lord,  whose  mercy  endureth  forever.  As 
mercy  did  not  cease  to  rule  either  by  day  or  by  night,  so 
neither  did  music  hush  its  holy  ministry.  My  heart,  there 
is  a  lesson  sweetly  taught  to  thee  in  the  ceaseless  song  of 
Zion's  temple;  thou  too  art  a  constant  debtor,  and  see  thou 
to  it  that  thy  gratitude,  like  charity,  never  faileth.  God's 
praise  is  constant  in  heaven,  which  is  to  be  thy  final  dwelling- 
place  ;  learn  thou  to  practise  the  eternal  hallelujah.  Around 
the  earth  as  the  sun  scatters  his  light,  his  beams  awaken 
grateful  believers  to  tune  their  morning  hymn,  so  that  by  the 
priesthood  of  the  saints  perpetual  praise  is  kept  up  at  all 
hours  ;  they  swathe  our  globe  in  a  mantle  of  thanksgiving, 
and  girdle  it  with  a  golden  belt  of  song. 

The  Lord  always  deserves  to  be  praised  for  what  He  is  in 
Himself,  for  His  works  of  creation  and  providence,  for  His 
goodness  towards  His  creatures,  and  especially  for  the  tran- 
scendent act  of  redemption,  and  all  the  marvellous  blessing 
flowing  therefrom.  It  is  always  beneficial  to  praise  the  Lord  ; 
it  cheers  the  day  and  brightens  the  night ;  it  lightens  toil 
and  softens  sorrow ;  and  over  earthly  gladness  it  sheds  a 
sanctifying  radiance  which  makes  it  less  liable  to  blind  us 
with  its  glare.  Have  we  not  something  to  sing  about  at  this 
moment  ?  Can  we  not  weave  a  song  out  of  our  present  joys, 
or  our  past  deliverances,  or  our  future  hopes  ?  Earth  yields 
her  summer  fruits :  the  haj  is  housed,  the  golden  grain  in- 
vites the  sickle,  and  the  sun  tarrying  long  to  shine  upon  a 
fruitful  earth,  shortens  the  interval  of  shade  that  we  may 
lengthen  the  hours  of  devout  worship.  By  the  love  of  Je- 
sus, let  us  be  stirred  up  to  close  the  day  with  a  psalm  of 
sanctified  gladness. 


August  1.  EVENTNO    READINGS.  215 

"  Thou  croumest  the  year  with  Thy  goodness."  —  Psalm  Ixv.  11. 


■qLL  the  year  round,  every  hour  of  every  day,  God  is 
richly  blessing  us  ;  both  when  we  sleep  and  when  we 
wake  His  mercy  waits  upon  us.  The  sun  may  leave 
us  a  legacy  of  darkness,  but  our  God  never  ceases  to  shine 
upon  His  children  with  beams  of  love.  Like  a  river.  His 
loving-kindness  is  always  flowing  with  a  fulness  inexhaustible 
as  His  own  nature.  Like  the  atmosphere  which  constantly 
surrounds  the  earth,  and  is  always  ready  to  support  the  life 
of  man,  the  benevolence  of  God  surrounds  all  His  creatures  ; 
in  it,  as  in  their  element,  they  live,  and  move,  and  have  their 
being.  Yet  as  the  sun  on  summer  days  gladdens  us  with 
beams  more  warm  and  bright  than  at  other  times,  and  as 
rivers  are  at  certain  seasons  swollen  by  the  rain,  and  as  the 
atmosphere  itself  is  sometimes  fraught  with  more  fresh,  more 
bracing,  or  more  balmy  influences  than  heretofore,  so  is  it 
with  the  mercy  of  God ;  it  hath  its  golden  hours,  its  days 
of  overflow,  when  the  Lord  magnifieth  His  grace  before  the 
sons  of  men.  Amongst  the  blessings  of  the  nether  springs, 
the  joyous  days  of  harvest  are  a  special  season  of  excessive 
favor.  It  is  the  glory  of  autumn  that  the  ripe  gifts  of  provi- 
dence are  then  abundantly  bestowed  ;  it  is  the  mellow  season 
of  realization,  whereas  all  before  was  but  hope  and  expecta- 
tion. Great  is  the  joy  of  harvest.  Happy  are  the  reapers 
who  fill  their  arms  with  the  liberality  of  heaven.  The  psalm- 
ist tells  us  that  the  harvest  is  the  crowning  of  the  year. 
Surely  these  crowning  mercies  call  for  crowning  thanksgiv- 
ing !  Let  us  render  it  by  the  inioard  emotions  of  gratitude. 
Let  our  hearts  be  warmed  ;  let  our  spirits  remember,  medi- 
tate, and  think  upon  this  goodness  of  the  Lord.  Then  let 
us  praise  Him  with  our  lips,  and  laud  and  magnify  His  name 
from  whose  bounty  all  this  goodness  flows.  Let  us  glorify 
God  by  yieldiug  our  gifts  to  His  cause.  A  practical  proof 
of  our  gratitude  is  a,  special  thank-offering  to  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest. 


216  EVENING   HEADINGS.  AugUSt  2. 

•'  So  she  gleaned  in  the  field  until  even."  —  Ruth  ii.  17. 

^KCTET  me  learn  from  Kuth,  the  gleaner.  As  she  went 
(f/^1  out  to  gather  the  ears  of  corn,  so  must  I  go  forth  into 
y/fsm^  the  fields  of  prayer,  meditation,  the  ordinances,  and 
hearing  the  word  to  gather  spiritual  food.  The.  gleaner  gath,- 
ers  her  portion  ear  by  ear  ;  her  gains  are  little  by  little  :  so 
must  I  be  content  to  search  for  single  truths,  if  there  be  no 
greater  plenty  of  them.  Every  ear  helps  to  make  a  bundle, 
and  every  gospel  lesson  assists  in  making  us  wise  unto  sal- 
vation. The  gleaner  keeps  her  eyes  open :  if  she  stumbled 
among  the  stubble  in  a  dream,  she  would  have  no  load  to 
carry  home  rejoicingly  at  eventide.  I  must  be  watchful  in 
religious  exercises  lest  thefy  become  unprofitable  to  me  ;  I 
fear  I  have  lost  much  already  —  Oh  that  I  may  rightly  esti- 
mate my  opportunities,  and  glean  with  greater  diligence  ! 
T]>e  gleaner  stoops  for  all  she  finds,  and  so  must  I.  High 
spirits  criticise  and  object,  but  lowly  minds  glean  and  receive 
benefit.  A  humble  heart  is  a  great  help  towards  profitably 
hearing  the  gospel.  The  ingrafted  soul-saving  word  is  not 
received  except  with  meekness.  A  stiff  back  makes  a  bad 
gleaner ;  down,  master  pride  ;  thou  art  a  vile  robber,  not  to 
be  endured  for  a  moment.  What  the  gleaner  gathers  she 
holds :  if  she  dropped  one  ear  to  find  another,  the  result  of 
her  day's  work  would  be  but  scant ;  she  is  as  careful  to  retain 
as  to  obtain,  and  so  at  last  her  gains  are  great.  How  often' 
do  I  forget  all  that  I  hear  !  the  second  truth  pushes  the  first 
out  of  my  head,  and  so  my  reading  and  hearing  end  in  much 
ado  about  nothing  !  Do  I  feel  duly  the  importance  of  storing 
up  the  truth  ?  A  hungry  belly  makes  the  gleaner  wise  ;  if 
there  be  no  corn  in  her  hand,  there  will  be  no  bread  on  her 
table ;  she  labors  under  the  sense  of  necessity,  and  hence 
her  tread  is  nimble  and  her  grasp  is  firm ;  I  have  even  a 
greater  necessity ;  Lord,  help  me  to  feel  it,  that  it  may  urge 
me  onward  to  glean  in  fields  which  yield  so  plenteous  a  re- 
ward to  diligence. 


August  3.  EVENING    READINGS.  217 

O 

"  But  as  He  went."  —  Luke  viii.  42. 

^ESUS  is  passing  through  the  throng  to  the  house  of 
,v^  Jairus,  to  raise  the  ruler's  dead  daughter  ;  but  He  is 
*^  so  profuse  in  goodness  that  He  works  another  miracle 
rhile  upon  the  road.  While  yet  this  rod  of  Aaron  bears  the 
blossom  of  an  unaccomplished  wonder,  it  yields  the  ripe 
almonds  of  a  perfect  work  of  mercy.  It  is  enough  for  us,  if 
we  have  some  one  purpose,  straightway  to  go  and  accomplish 
it ;  it  were  imprudent  to  expend  our  energies  by  the  way. 
Hastening  to  the  rescue  of  a  drowning  friend,  we  cannot  af- 
ford to  exhaust  our  strength  upon  another  in  like  danger.  It 
is  enough  for  a  tree  to  yield  one  sort  of  fruit,  and  for  a  man 
to  fulfil  his  own  peculiar  calling.  But  our  Master  knows  no 
limit  of  power  or  boundary  of  mission.  He  is  so  prolific  of 
grace,  that  like  the  sun  which  shines  as  it  rolls  onward  in  its 
orbit,  His  path  is  radiant  with  loving  kindness.  He  is  a  swift 
arrow  of  love,  which  not  only  reaches  its  ordained  target,  but 
perfumes  the  air  through  which  it  flies.  Virtue  is  evermore 
going  out  of  Jesus,  as  sweet  odors  exhale  from  flowers  ;  and 
it  always  will  be  emanating  from  Him,  as  water  from  a  spar- 
kling fountain.  What  delightful  encouragement  this  truth  af- 
fords us  !  If  our  Lord  is  so  ready  to  heal  the  sick  and  bless 
the  needy,  then,  my  soul,  be  not  thou  slow  to  put  thyself  in 
His  way,  that  He  may  smile  on  thee.  Be  not  slack  in  ask- 
ing, if  He  be  so  abundant  in  bestowing.  Give  earnest  heed 
to  His  word  now,  and  at  all  times,  that  Jesus  may  speak 
through  it  to  thy  heart.  Where  He  is  to  be  found,  there 
make  thy  resort,  that  thou  mayst  obtain  His  blessing.  When 
He  is  present  to  heal,  may  He  not  heal  thee  ?  But  surely 
He  is  present  even  now,  for  He  always  comes  to  hearts  which 
need  Him.  And  dost  not  thou  need  Him  ?  Ah,  He  knows 
how  much  !  Thou  Son  of  David,  turn  Thine  eye  and  look 
upon  the  distress  which  is  now  before  Thee,  and  make  thy 
iupplianfc  whole. 

19 


218  EVENING    HEADINGS.  AugUSt  4. 

"  I  amote  you  with  blasting,  and  with  mildew,  and  with  hail,  in  all 
the  labors  of  your  hands." —  Haggai  ii.  17. 

pOW  destructive  is  the  hail  to  the  standing  crops,  beat 
k|^  ing  out  the  precious  grain  upon  the  ground  !  How 
grateful  ought  we  to  be  when  the  corn  is  spared  so 
terrible  a  ruin  !  Let  us  offer  unto  the  Lord  thanksgiving. 
Even  more  to  be  dreaded  are  those  mysterious  destroyers, 
smut,  bunt,  rust,  and  mildew.  These  turn  the  ear  into  a 
mass  of  soot,  or  render  it  putrid,  or  dry  up  the  grain,  and 
all  in  a  manner  so  beyond  all  human  control,  that  the  farmer 
is  compelled  to  cry,  "  This  is  the  finger  of  God."  Innumer- 
able minute  fungi  cause  the  mischief,  and  were  it  not  for  the 
goodness  of  God,  the  rider  on  the  black  horse  would  soon 
scatter  famine  over  the  land.  Infinite  mercy  spares  the  food 
of  men,  but  in  view  of  the  active  agents  which  are  ready  to 
destroy  the  harvest,  right  wisely  are  we  taught  to  pray,  "  Give 
us  this  day  our  daily  bread."  The  curse  is  abroad  ;  we  have 
constant  need  of  the  blessing.  When  blight  and  mildew 
come,  they  are  chastisements  from  heaven,  and  men  must 
learn  to  bear  the  rod,  and  Him  that  hath  appointed  it. 

Spiritually,  mildew  is  no  uncommon  evil.  When  our  work 
is  most  promising  this  blight  appears.  We  hoped  for  many 
conversions,  and  lo  !  a  general  apathy,  an  abounding  world- 
liness,  or  a  cruel  hardness  of  heart !  There  may  be  no  open 
sin  in  those  for  whom  we  are  laboring,  but  there  is  a  defi- 
ciency of  sincerity  and  decision  sadly  disappointing  our  de- 
sires. We  learn  from  this  our  dependence  upon  the  Lord, 
and  the  need  of  prayer  that  no  blight  may  fall  upon  our  work. 
Spiritual  pride  or  sloth  will  soon  bring  upon  us  the  dreadful 
evil,  and  only  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  can  remove  it.  Mil- 
dew may  even  attack  our  own  hearts,  and  shrivel  our  prayera 
and  religious  exercises.  May  it  please  the  great  Husband- 
man to  avert  so  serious  a  calamity.  Shine,  blessed  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  and  drive  the  blights  away. 


ALUgllet  5.  EVEMINO    READINGS.  219 

"  Shall  your  brethren  go  to  war,  and  shall  ye  sit  here  '  " 
Numbers  xxxii.  6. 


jfflfc>35INDRED  has  its  obligations.  The  Keubcnites  and 
pJlY^  Gadites  would  have  been  most  unbrotherly  if  they  had 
^^*^  claimed  the  land  which  had  been  conquered,  and  had 
left  the  rest  of  the  people  to  fight  for  their  portions  alone. 
We  have  received  much  by  means  of  the  efforts  and  auffer- 
ings  of  the  saints  in  years  gone  by,  and  if  we  do  not  make 
some  return  to  the  church  of  Christ  by  giving  her  our  best  en- 
ergies, we  are  unworthy  to  be  enrolled  in  her  ranks.  Others 
are  combating  the  errors  of  the  age  manfully,  or  excavating 
perishing  ones  from  amid  the  ruins  of  the  fall,  and  if  we  fold 
our  hands  in  idleness  we  had  need  be  warned,  lest  the  curse 
of  Meroz  fall  upon  us.  The  Master  of  the  vineyard  saith, 
"  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle  r "  What  is  the  idlers' 
excuse  ?  Personal  service  of  Jesus  becomes  all  the  more  the 
duty  of  all  because  it  is  cheerfully  and  abundantly  rendered 
by  some.  The  toils  of  devoted  missionaries  and  fervent  min- 
isters shame  us  if  we  sit  still  in  indolence.  Shrinking  from 
trial  is  the  temptation  of  those  who  are  at  ease  in  Zion  :  they 
would  fain  escape  the  cross,  and  yet  wear  the  crown  ;  to  them 
the  question  for  this  evening's  meditation  is  very  applicable. 
If  the  most  precious  are  tried  in  the  fire,  are  we  to  escape 
the  crucible  ?  If  the  diamond  must  be  vexed  upon  the  wheel, 
are  we  to  be  made  perfect  without  suffering  ?  Who  hath 
commanded  the  wind  to  cease  from  blowing  because  our  bark 
is  on  the  deep  ?  Why  and  wherefore  should  we  be  treated 
better  than  our  Lord  ?  The  First-born  felt  the  rod,  and  why 
not  the  younger  brethren  ?  It  is  a  cowardly  pride  which 
would  choose  a  downy  pillow  and  a  silken  couch  for  a  soldier 
of  the  cross.  Wiser  far  is  he  who,  being  first  resigned  to 
the  divine  will,  groweth  by  the  energy  of  grace  to  be  pleased 
with  it,  and  so  learns  to  gather  lilies  at  the  cross-foot,  and, 
like  Samson,  to  find  honey  iu  the  lion. 


220  EVENING    READINGS  AugUSt  6. 

*^  Let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  ivith  His  glory ;  Amen,  and  Amen." 
Psalm  Ixxii.  19. 

^^•^HIS  is  a  large  petition.  To  intercede  for  a  whole  city 
•^rirfl  needs  a  stretch  of  faith,  and  there  are  times  when  a 
^^***^  prayer  for  one  man  is  enough  to  stagger  us.  But 
how  far-reaching  was  the  psalmist's  dying  intercession  !  How 
comprehensive  !  How  sublime  !  "  Let  the  whole  earth  be 
filled  with  His  glory."  It  doth  not  exempt  a  single  country, 
however  crushed  by  the  foot  of  superstition  ;  it  doth  not  ex- 
clude a  single  nation,  however  barbarous.  For  the  cannibal  aa 
well  as  for  the  civilized,  for  all  climes  and  races,  this  prayer 
is  uttered  :  the  whole  circle  of  the  earth  it  encompasses,  and 
omits  no  son  of  Adam.  We  must  be  up  and  doing  for  our 
Master,  or  we  cannot  honestly  offer  such  a  prayer.  The  pe- 
tition is  not  asked  with  a  sincere  heart  unless  we  endeavor, 
as  God  shall  help  us,  to  extend  the  kingdom  of  our  Master. 
Are  there  not  some  who  neglect  both  to  plead  and  to  labor  ? 
Reader,  is  it  your  prayer  ?  Turn  your  eyes  to  Calvary.  Be- 
hold the  Lord  of  Life  nailed  to  a  cross,  with  the  thorn-crown 
about  His  brow,  with  bleeding  head,  and  hands,  and  feet. 
What !  can  you  look  upon  this  miracle  of  miracles,  the  death 
of  the  Son  of  God,  without  feeling  within  your  bosom  a  mar- 
vellous adoration  that  language  never  can  express  ?  And 
when  you  feel  the  blood  applied  to  your  conscience,  and 
know  that  He  has  blotted  out  your  sins,  yoti  are  not  a  man 
unless  you  start  from  your  knees  and  cry,  "  Let  the  whole 
earth  be  filled  with  His  glory;  Amen,  and  Amen."  Can 
you  bow  before  the  Crucified  in  loving  homage,  and  not  wish 
to  see  your  Monarch  ma=tor  of  the  world  ?  Out  on  you  if 
you  can  pretend  to  love  your  Prince,  and' desire  not  to  see 
Him  the  universal  ruler.  Your  piety  is  worthless  unless  it 
leads  you  to  wish  that  the  same  mercy  Avhich  has  been  ex- 
tended to  you  may  bless  the  whole  world  Lord,  it  ii 
harvest-time  ;  put  iu   Thy  sickle  and  reap. 


August  7.  EVENING    READINGS.  221 

"  Satan  hindered  us." —  1  Thessalonians  ii.  18. 


I 


^TNCE  the  first  hour  in  which  goodness  came  into  con- 
flict with  evil,  it  has  never  ceased  to  be  true  in  spir- 
itual experience,  that  Satan  hinders  us.  From  all 
points  of  the  compass,  all  along  the  line  of  battle,  in  the 
vanguard  and  in  the  rear,  at  the  dawn  of  day  and  in  the 
midnight  hour,  Satan  hinders  us.  If  we  toil  in  the  field,  he 
seeks  to  break  the  ploughshare  ;  if  we  build  the  wall,  he 
labors  to  cast  down  the  stones  ;  if  we  would  serve  God  in 
sufi"ering  or  in  conflict,  everywhere  Satan  hinders  us.  He 
hinders  us  when  we  are  first  coming  to  Jesus  Christ.  Fierce 
conflicts  we  had  with  Satan  when  we  first  looked  to  the  cross 
and  lived.  Now  that  we  are  saved,  he  endeavors  to  hinder 
the  completeness  of  our  personal  character.  You  may  be 
congratulating  yourself,  "  I  have  hitherto  walked  consistent- 
ly ;  no  man  can  challenge  my  integrity."  Keware  of  boast- 
ing, for  your  virtue  will  yet  be  tried  ;  Satan  will  direct  his 
engines  against  that  very  virtue  for  which  you  are  the  most 
famous.  If  you  have  been  hitherto  a  firm  believer,  your 
faith  will  ere  lonp,  be  attacked  ;  if  you  have  been  meek  as 
Moses,  expect  to  Ve  tempted  to  speak  unadvisedly  with  your 
lips.  The  birds  wvU  peck  at  your  ripest  fruit,  and  the  wild 
boar  will  dash  his  visks  at  your  choicest  vines.  Satan  ia 
sure  to  hinder  us  when  we  are  earnest  in  prayer.  He  checks 
our  importunity,  acd  wf>a!«eas  our  faith,  in  order  that,  if  pos- 
sible, we  may  miss  the  bl'^s^ing.  Nor  is  Satan  less  vigilant 
in  obstructing  Christian  efi"orv  There  was  never  a  revival 
of  religion  without  a  revival  ol  his  opposition.  As  soon  as 
Ezra  and  Nehemiah  begin  to  labor,  Sanballat  and  Tobiah 
are  stirred  up  to  hinder  tk^m.  Whai  then  ?  We  are  not 
alarmed  because  Satan  hindereth  us,  <'or  it  is  a  proof  that 
we  are  on  the  Lord's  side,  ani  are  doing  tnc  Lord's  work, 
and  in  His  strength  we  shall  win  the  ^'ctorj,  and  triumph 
over  our  adversary. 
19* 


222  EVENING    BEADINGS.  AugUSt  8. 

"  All  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth."  —  Mark  ix.  23. 


p)ANY  professed  Christians  are  always  doubting  and 
V}^i\k  fearing,  and  they  forlornly  think  that  this  is  the 
necessary  state  of  believers.  This  is  a  mistake,  for 
"  all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth  ; "  and  it  is 
possible  for  us  to  mount  into  a  state  in  which  a  doubt  or  a 
fear  shall  be  but  as  a  bird  of  passage  flitting  across  the  soul, 
but  never  lingering  there.  When  you  read  of  the  high  and 
sweet  communions  enjoyed  by  favored  saints,  you  sigh  and 
murmur  in  the  chamber  of  your  heart,  "  Alas  !  these  are  not 
for  me."  0  climber,  if  thou  hast  but  faith,  thou  shalt  yet 
stand  upon  the  sunny  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  for  "  all  things 
are  possible  to  him  that  believeth."  You  hear  of  exploits 
which  holy  men  have  done  for  Jesus  ;  what  they  have  enjoyed 
of  Him  ;  how  much  they  have  been  like  Him  ;  how  they 
have  been  able  to  endure  great  persecutions  for  His  sake  ; 
and  you  say,  "  Ah  !  as  for  me,  I  am  but  a  worm ;  I  can  never 
attain  to  this,"  But  there  is  nothing  which  one  saint  was, 
that  you  may  not  be.  There  is  no  elevation  of  grace,  no 
attainment  of  spirituality,  no  clearness  of  assurance,  no  post 
of  duty,  which  is  not  open  to  you  if  you  have  but  the  power 
to  believe.  Lay  aside  your  sackcloth  and  ashes,  and  rise  to 
the  dignity  of  your  true  position  ;  you  are  little  in  Israel  be- 
cause you  will  be  so,  not  because  there  is  any  necessity  for 
it.  It  is  not  meet  that  thou  shouldst  grovel  in  the  dust,  0 
child  of  a  King.  Ascend  !  The  golden  throne  of  assurance 
is  waiting  for  you  !  The  crown  of  communion  with  Jesus  is 
ready  to  bedeck  your  brow.  Wrap  yourself  in  scarlet  and 
fine  linen,  and  fare  snmptuously  every  day  ;  for,  if  thou  be- 
lievest,  thou  mayst  eat  the  fat  of  kidneys  of  wheat ;  thy 
land  shall  flow  with  milk  and  honey,  and  thy  soul  shall  be 
satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness.  Gather  golden  sheaves 
of  grace,  for  they  await  thee  in  the  fields  of  faith.  "  All 
things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth." 


August  9.  EVENING    KEADING8.  22J 

"  He  appeared  Jirst  to  Mary  Magdalene,  out  of  whom  lie  had  cast 
sevett  devils."  —  Mark.  xvi.  9. 

p|*)ARY  of  Magdala  was  the  victim  of  a  fearful  evil.  She 
was  possessed  by  not  cne.  devil  only,  but  seven. 
These  dreadful  inmates  caused  nuch  pain  and  pollu- 
tion to  the  poor  frame  in  which  they  had  found  a  lodging. 
Hers  was  a  hopeless,  horrible  case.  She  could  not  help 
herself,  neither  could  any  human  succor  avail.  But  Jesua 
passed  that  way,  and  unsought,  and  probably  even  resisted 
by  the  poor  demoniac.  He  uttered  the  word  of  power,  and 
Mary  of  Magdala  became  a  trophi/  of  the  healing  potver  of  Je- 
stis.  All  the  seven  demons  left  her,  left  her  never  to  return, 
forcibly  ejected  by  the  Lord  of  all.  What  a  blessed  deliver- 
ance !  What  a  happy  change  !  From  delirium  to  delight, 
from  despair  to  peace,  from  hell  to  heaven  !  Straightway 
she  became  a  const a7it  follower  of  Jesus,  catching  His  every 
word,  following  His  devious  steps,  sharing  His  toilsome  life ; 
and  withal  she  became  His  generous  helper,  first  among  that 
band  of  healed  and  grateful  women  who  ministered  unto 
Him  of  their  substance.  When  Jesus  was  lifted  up  in  cruci- 
fixion, Mary  remained  the  sharer  of  His  shame  :  we  find  her 
first  beholding  from  afar,  and  then  drawing  near  to  the  foot 
of  the  cross.  She  could  not  die  on  the  cross  with  Jesus,  but 
Bhe  stood  as  near  it  as  she  could,  and  when  His  blessed  body 
was  taken  down,  she  watched  to  see  how  and  where  it  was 
laid.  She  was  the  faithful  and  watchful  believer,  last  at  the 
sepulchre  where  Jesus  slept,  firfit  at  the  grave  whence  he 
arose.  Her  holy  fidelity  made  h;r  a  favored  beholder  of  her 
beloved  Rabboni,  who  deigned  to  call  her  by  her  name,  and 
to  make  her  His  viesseyiger  of  good  news  to  the  trembling 
disciples  and  Peter.  Thus  grace  found  her  a  maniac  and 
made  her  a  minister,  cast  out  devils  and  gave  her  to  behold 
angels,  delivered  her  from  Satan  and  united  her  forever  to 
the  Lord  Jesus.     May  I  also  be  such  a  miracle  of  grace ! 


224  EVENING    READINGS.  AugUSt  10. 

"  Tlie  Son  of  Man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins." 
Matthew  ix.  6. 

^fcj^R(^EHOLD  one  of  the  great  Physician's  mightiest  arts  : 
%]\'^  He  has  power  to  forgive  sin  !  While  here  He  lived 
'^^^^"'^^  below,  before  the  ransom  had  been  paid,  before  the 
Hood  had  been  literally  sprinkled  on  the  mercy-seat,  He  had 
power  to  forgive  sin.  Hath  He  not  power  to  do  it  now  that 
He  hath  died  ?  What  power  must  dwell  in  Him  who  to  the 
utmost  farthing  has  faithfully  discharged  the  debts  of  His 
people  !  He  has  boundless  power  now  that  He  has  finished 
transgression  and  made  an  end  of  sin.  If  ye  doubt  it,  see 
Him  rising  from  the  dead  !  Behold  Him  in  ascending  splen- 
dor raised  to  the  right  hand  of  God  !  Hear  Him  pleading 
before  the  eternal  Father,  pointing  to  His  wounds,  urging 
the  merit  of  his  sacred  passion  !  What  power  to  forgive 
is  here  !  "  He  hath  ascended  on  high,  and  received  gifts 
for  men."  "  He  is  exalted  on  high  to  give  repentance 
and  remission  of  sins,"  The  most  crimson  sins  are  re- 
moved by  the  crimson  of  His  blood.  At  this  moment, 
dear  reader,  whatever  thy  sinfulness,  Christ  has  power  to 
pardon — power  to  pardon  thee,  and  millions  such  as  thou 
art.  A  word  will  speak  it.  He  has  nothing  more  to  do  to 
win  thy  pardon  ;  all  the  atoning  work  is  done.  He  can,  in 
answer  to  thy  tears,  forgive  thy  sins  to-day,  and  make  thee 
know  it.  He  can  breathe  into  thy  soul  at  this  very  mo- 
ment a  peace  with  God  which  passeth  all  understanding, 
which  shall  spring  from  perfect  remission  of  thy  manifold 
iniquities.  Dost  thou  believe  that  ?  I  trust  thou  believ- 
est  it.  Mayst  thou  experience  now  the  power  of  Jesus  tc 
forgive  sin  !  Waste  no  time  in  applying  to  the  Physiciao 
of  souls,  but  hasten  to  Him  with  words  like  these  :  — 

•'  Jesus  '  Master,  hear  my  cry; 
Save  me,  liciil  me  with  a  word; 
Fainting  at  Tliy  feet  I  lie, 
Thou  my  whispered  plaint  baat  heard." 


JillgUSt  11.  EVENINO    READINGS.  22A 

"  Everlasiing  consolation."  —  2  Thessalonians  ii.  16. 

'ONSOLATION."  There  is  music  in  the  word: 
^^W  lil^e  David's  harp,  it  charms  away  the  evil  spirit 
"^^of  melancholy.  It  was  a  distinguished  honor  to 
Barnabas  to  be  called  "  the  son  of  consolation  ;"  nay,  it  if 
one  of  the  illustrious  names  of  a  greater  than  Barnabas,  foi 
the  Lord  Jesus  is  "  the  consolation  of  Israel."  "  Everlast- 
ing consolation  "  — here  is  the  cream  of  all,  the  "  spikenard 
very  precious,"  for  the  eternity  of  comfort  is  the  crown  and 
glory  of  it.  This  makes  an  estate  worth  the  having  when  a 
man  may  hold  its  fee  simple  in  perpetuity  forever.  A  man 
works  to  make  money,  and  after  toiling  hard  he  finds  himself 
the  owner  of  it,  and  it  is  a  consolation  to  him,  but  it  is  not 
an  "  everlasting  consolation,"  for  he  may  spend  or  he  may 
lose  all  his  treasure  ;  or  he  may  be  compelled  by  death  to 
leave  it  —  it  cannot  be,  at  the  best,  more  than  a  temporary 
consolation.  A  man  toils  hard  for  knowledge,  he  acquires 
it,  he  becomes  an  eminent  scholar ;  his  name  is  famous  ; 
this  is  a  consolation  to  him  for  all  his  toil,  but  it  cannot  last 
long ;  for  when  he  feels  the  headache,  or  the  heartache,  his 
degrees  and  his  diplomas  cannot  cheer  him  ;  or  should  his 
soul  become  a  prey  to  despondency,  he  may  turn  over  many 
a  learned  tome  before  he  will  find  a  balm  for  a  broken  heart. 
All  earth-born  consolations  are  in  their  essence  fleeting,  and 
in  their  txisii-uce  short-lived;  they  are  as  brilliant  and  as 
evanescent  sis  the  rainbow  hues  of  a  soap-bubble  ;  but  as  for 
the  consolations  which  God  gives  to  His  people,  they  fade 
no',  neither  do  they  lose  their  freshness.  They  can  stand 
all  tests  —  the  shock  of  trial,  the  flame  of  persecution,  the 
lapse  of  years  ;  nay,  they  can  even  endure  death  itself.  What 
is  this  "  everlasting  consolation  "  ?  It  includes  a  sense  of 
pardoned  sin.  A  Christian  man  has  received  in  his  hcurl 
the  witness  of  the  Spirit  that  his  iniquities  are  put  away  like 
a  cloud,  and  his  transgressions  like  a  thick  cloud.    If  sin  ha 


226  EVENING    READINGS.  AugUSt  11. 

pardoned,  is  not  that  an  everlasting  consolation  ?  Next  the 
Lord  gives  his  people  an  abiding  sense  of  acceptance  in 
Christ.  The  Christian  knows  that  God  looks  upon  him  as 
standing  in  union  with  Jesus.  Now,  it  is  a  sweet  thing  to 
know  that  God  accepts  us,  and  to  be  able  to  sing  with  Hart,  — 

"  With  my  Saviour's  vesture  on, 
Holy  as  the  Holy  One." 

Union  to  the  risen  Lord  is  a  consolation  of  the  most  abiding 
order  ;  it  is,  in  fact,  everlasting.  Let  sickness  prostrate  us, 
have  we  not  seen  hundreds  of  believers  as  happy  in  the 
weakness  of  disease  as  they  would  have  been  in  the  strength 
of  hale  and  blooming  health  r  Let  death's  arrows  pierce  ua 
to  the  heart,  our  comfort  dies  not,  for  have  not  our  ears  full 
often  heard  the  songs  of  saints  as  they  have  rejoiced  because 
the  living  love  of  God  was  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  in 
dying  moments  ?  Yes,  a  sense  of  acceptance  in  the  Be- 
loved is  an  everlasting  consolation.  Moreover,  the  Christian 
has  a  conviction  of  his  security.  God  has  promised  to  save 
those  who  trust  in  Christ :  the  Christian  does  trust  in  Christ, 
and  he  believes  that  God  will  be  as  good  as  His  word,  and 
will  save  him.  He  feels,  therefore,  that  whatever  may  occur 
in  providence,  whatever  onslaughts  there  may  be  of  inward 
corruption,  or  of  outward  temptation,  he  is  safe  by  virtue 
of  his  being  bound  up  with  the  person  and  work  of  Jesus. 
Is  not  this  a  source  of  consolation  overflowing  and  delight- 
ful r  Why,  the  richest  and  greatest  of  men  might  freely 
give  their  eyes  to  know  that  they  are  saved,  and  their  loss 
would  be  their  gain.  It  were  a  cheap  bargain  for  men  to 
enter  into  life  halt  or  maimed,  if  they  did  but  enter  into  life 
it  all.  That  we  have  this  life,  and  cannot  be  robbed  of  it,  is 
our  everlasting  consolation. 

How  now,  reader,  are  you  pining  and  refusing  to  be  com- 
forted r  Is  this  honorable  to  God  ?  Will  it  make  others 
long  to  know  Jesus  ?  Cheer  up,  man  !  When  Jesus  gives 
eternal   consolation,  it  is  a  sin  to  murmur. 


August  12.  EVENING    READINGS.  227 


"  The  bow  shall  be  seen  in  the  cloud."  —  Genesis  ix.  14. 

"SHE  rainbow,  the  symbol  of  the  covenant  with  Noah, 
,  j^j^  is  typical  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  who  is  tlie  Lord's  wit- 
ness to  the  people.  When  may  we  expect  to  see  the 
token  of  the  covenant  f  The  rainbow  is  only  to  be  seen  paint- 
ed upon  a  cloud.  When  the  sinner's  conscience  is  dark  with 
clouds,  when  he  remembers  his  past  sin,  and  mourneth  and 
lamenieth  before  God,  Jesus  Christ  is  revealed  to  him  as  the 
covenant  Rainbow,  displaying  all  the  glorious  hues  of  the 
divine  character  and  betokening  peace.  To  the  believer, 
when  his  trials  and  temptations  surround  him,  it  is  sweet  to 
behold  the  person  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  —  to  see  Ilim 
bleeding,  living,  rising,  and  pleading  for  us.  God's  rainbow 
is  hung  over  the  cloud  of  our  sins,  our  sorrows,  and  our 
woes,  to  prophesy  deliverance.  Nor  docs  a  cloud  alone  give 
a  rainbow  ;  there  must  be  the  crystcd  drops  to  reflect  the 
light  of  the  sun.  So  our  sorrows  must  not  only  threaten, 
but  they  must  really  fall  upon  us.  There  had  been  no  Christ 
for  us  if  the  vengeance  of  God  had  been  merely  a  threaten 
ing  cloud :  punishment  must  fall  in  terrible  drops  upon  the 
Surety.  Until  there  is  a  real  anguish  in  the  sinner's  eon- 
science,  there  is  no  Christ  for  him  ;  until  the  chastisement 
which  he  feels  becomes  grievous,  he  cannot  see  Jesus.  But 
there  must  also  be  a  sun ;  for  clouds  and  drops  of  rain  make 
not  rainbows  unless  the  sun  shineth.  Beloved,  our  God, 
who  is  as  the  sun  to  us,  always  shines,  but  we  do  not  always 
sec  Him  —  clouds  hide  His  face;  but  no  matter  what  drops 
may  be  falling,  or  what  clouds  may  be  threatening,  if  He 
does  but  shine  there  will  be  a  rainbow  at  once.  It  is  said 
that  when  we  see  the  rainbow  the  shower  is  over.  Certain 
it  is,  that  when  Christ  comes  our  troubles  remove  ;  when 
we  behold  Jesus  our  sins  vanish,  and  o^r  doubts  and  fears 
subside.  When  Jesus  walks  the  waters  of  the  sea,  ho\» 
profound  the  calm  ! 


228  EVENING    HEADINGS.  AugUSt  1 3. 


"  And  I  loill  remember  My  covenant."  —  Genesis  ix.  15 

)ARK  the  form  of  the  promise.  God  does  not  say, 
K  "  And  when  ye  shall  look  upon  the  bow,  and  ye  shall 
remember  My  covenant,  then  I  will  not  destroy  the 
earth  ;  "  but  it  is  gloriously  put,  not  upon  our  memory,  which 
is  fickle  and  frail,  but  upon  God's  memory,  which  is  infinite 
and  immutable.  "  The  bow  shall  be  in  the  cloud  ;  and  I  will 
look  upon  it,  that  /may  remember  the  everlasting  covenant." 
Oh,  it  is  not  my  remembering  God,  it  is  God's  remembering 
me,  which  is  the  ground  of  my  safety  ;  it  is  not  my  laying 
hold  of  His  covenant,  but  His  covenant's  laying  hold  on  me. 
Glory  be  to  God  !  the  whole  of  the  bulwarks  of  salvation  are 
secured  by  divine  power,  and  even  the  minor  towers,  which 
we  may  imagine  might  have  been  left  to  man,  are  guarded  by 
almighty  strength.  Even  the  remembrance  of  the  covenant 
is  not  left  to  our  memories,  for  we  might  forget ;  but  our 
Lord  cannot  forget  the  saints  whom  He  has  graven  on  the 
palms  of  His  hands.  It  is  with  us  as  with  Israel  in  Egypt ; 
the  blood  was  upon  the  lintel  and  the  two  side-posts,  but 
the  Lord  did  not  say,  "  When  you  see  the  blood  I  will  pass 
over  you,"  but,  "  When  /  see  the  blood  I  will  pass  over 
you."  My  looking  to  Jesus  brings  me  joy  and  peace,  but  it 
is  God's  looking  to  Jesus  which  secures  my  salvation  and 
that  of  all  his  elect,  since  it  is  impossible  for  our  God  to  look 
at  Christ,  our  bleeding  Surety,  and  then  to  be  angry  with  us 
for  sins  already  punished  in  Him.  No,  it  is  not  left  with  us 
even  to  be  saved  by  remembering  the  covenant.  There  is 
no  linsey-woolsey  here  —  not  a  single  thread  of  the  creature 
mars  the  fabric.  It  is  not  of  man,  neither  by  man,  but  of 
the  Lord  alone.  We  should  remember  the  covenant,  and  we 
shall  do  it,  through  divine  grace  ;  but  the  hinge  of  our  safety 
does  not  hang  there  —  it  is  God's  remembering  us,  net  our 
remejabering  him;  and  hence  the  covenant  is  <w»  everlasting 
covenant. 


AuCUSt  14.  EVENING  READINGS.  229 


"  I  knotp  t/ieir  sojTotcs." — Exodus  iii.  7. 


9^IIE   child  is  cheered  as  he  sings,  "  This  ray  father 
\>  knows;"  and  shall  not  we  be  comforted  as  we  dis. 


corn  that  our  dear  Friend  and  tender  soc'-husliani 
knows  all  about  us  ? 

1.  He  is  ihe  Physician,  and  if  He  knows  all,  there  is  no 
need  that  the  patient  should  know.  Hush,  thou  silly,  flut- 
tering heart,  prying,  peeping,  and  suspecting  !  What  thou 
knowest  not  now  thou  shall  know  hereafter ;  and  meanwhile, 
Jesus,  the  beloved  Physician,  knows  thy  soul  in  adversities. 
Why  need  the  patient  analyze  all  the  medicine,  or  estimate 
all  the  symptoms  ?  This  is  the  physician's  work,  not  mine ; 
it  is  my  business  to  trust,  and  his  to  prescribe.  If  he  shall 
write  his  prescription  in  uncouth  characters  which  I  cannot 
read,  I  will  not  be  uneasy  on  that  account,  but  rely  upon  his 
unfailing  skill  to  make  all  plain  in  the  result,  however  mys- 
terious in  the  working. 

2.  He  is  the  Master,  and  His  knowledge  is  to  serve  us  in- 
stead of  our  own  ;  we  are  to  obey,  not  to  judge  :  "  The  ser- 
vant knoweth  not  what  his  lord  doeth."  Shall  the  architect 
explain  his  plans  to  every  hodman  on  the  works  ?  If  he 
knows  hiij  own  intent,  is  it  not  enough  ?  The  vessel  on  the 
wheel  cannot  guess  to  what  pattern  it  shall  be  conformed, 
but  if  the  potter  understands  his  art,  what  matters  the  igno- 
rance of  the  clay  ?  My  Lord  must  not  be  cross-questioned 
any  more  by  one  so  ignorant  as  I  am. 

3.  He  is  the  Head.  All  understanding  centres  there.  What 
judgment  has  the  arm  ?  What  comprehension  has  the  foot  ? 
All  the  power  to  know  lies  in  the  head.  Why  should  the  mem- 
ber have  a  brain  of  its  own  when  the  head  fulfils  for  it  every 
intellectual  office  ?  Here,  then,  must  the  believer  rest  his 
comfort  in  sickness,  not  that  he  himself  can  see  the  end,  but 
that  Jesus  knows  all.  Swee!  Lord,  be  Thou  forever  eye,  and 
soul,  and  head  for  us,  and  let  us  be  content  to  know  only  what 
Thou  choosest  to  reveal.  20 


230  EVENING    READINGS.  AugUSt  15. 

''And  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh."  —  Ezekie.  xxxvi.  26. 


[  '^  HEART  of  flesh  is  known  by  its  tenderness  concerning 
'(S  sin.  To  have  indulged  afoul  imagination,  or  to  ha\? 
allowed  a  vile  desire  to  tarry  even  for  a  momentj  is 
quite  enough  to  make  a  heart  of  flesh  grieve  before  the  Lori. 
The  heart  of  stone  calls  a  great  iniquity  nothing,  but  not  so 
the  heart  of  flesh. 

"  If  lo  the  right  or  left  I  stray, 
That  moment,  Lord,  reprove; 
And  let  me  weep  my  life  away 
For  having  grieved  Tliy  love." 

The  heart  of  flesh  is  tender  of  God's  will.  My  Lord  Will-be- 
will  is  a  great  blusterer,  and  it  is  hard  to  subject  him  to  God's 
will;  but  when  the  heart  of  flesh  is  given,  the  will  quivers 
like  an  aspen  leaf  in  every  breath  of  heaven,  and  bows  like 
an  osier  in  every  breeze  of  God's  Spirit.  The  natural  will  is 
cold,  hard  iron,  which  is  not  to  be  hammered  into  form ;  but 
the  renewed  will,  like  molten  metal,  is  soon  moulded  by  the 
hand  of  grace.  In  the  fleshy  heart  there  is  a  tenderness  of 
the  affections.  The  hard  heart  does  not  love  the  Redeemer, 
but  the  renewed  heart  burns  with  affection  towards  Him. 
The  hard  heart  is  selfish,  and  coldly  demands,  "  Why  should 
I  weep  for  sin  ?  Why  should  I  love  the  Lord  ?  "  But  the 
heart  of  flesh  says,  "  Lord,  Thou  knowest  that  I  love  Thee ; 
help  me  to  love  Thee  more  "  !  Many  are  the  privileges  of 
this  renewed  heart:  '' 'Tis  here  the  Spirit  dwells,  'tis  here 
that  Jesus  rests."  It  is  fitted  to  receive  every  spiritual  bless- 
ing, and  every  blessing  comes  to  it.  It  is  prepared  to  yield 
every  heavenly  fruit  to  the  honor  and  praise  of  God,  and 
therefore  the  Lord  delights  in  it.  A  tender  heart  is  the  best 
defence  against  sin,  and  the  best  preparation  for  heaven. 
A  renewed  heart  stands  on  its  watch-tower  looking  toi 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Have  you  this  heart  of 
flesh? 


August   16.  EVENING    READINGS.  231 

"  Ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first  fru^^'  ofthf  Spirit" 
Konians  viii.  23. 


f^RPiSKNT  possession  is  declared.  At  this  present 
^'  moment  we  have  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  We 
have  repentance,  tliat  gera  of  the  first  water;  faith, 
tliat  priceless  pearl ;  hope,  the  heavenly  emerald  ;  and  love. 
the  glorious  ruby.  We  are  already  made  "  new  creatures  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  by  the  effectual  working  of  God  the  Holy 
Ghost.  This  is  called  the  first  fruit  becau.se  it  comes  first. 
As  the  wave-sheaf  was  the  first  of  the  harvest,  so  the  spirit- 
ual life,  and  all  the  graces  which  adorn  that  life,  are  the  first 
operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  our  souls.  The  first  fruits 
were  the  pledge  of  the  harvest.  As  soon  as  the  Israelite  had 
plucked  the  first  handful  of  ripe  ears,  he  looked  forward  with 
glad  anticipation  to  the  time  when  the  wain  should  creak  be- 
neath the  sheaves.  So,  brethren,  when  God  gives  us  things 
which  are  pure,  lovely,  and  of  good  report,  as  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  these  are  to  us  the  prognostics  of  the  com- 
ing glory.  The  first  fruits  were  ahvays  holy  to  the  Lord,  an(' 
our  new  nature,  with  all  its  powers,  is  a  consecrated  thing 
The  new  life  is  not  ours,  that  we  should  ascribe  its  excellence 
to  our  own  merit :  it  is  Christ's  image  and  creation,  and  is 
ordained  for  His  glory.  But  the  first  fruits  werenot  the  har- 
vest, and  the  works  of  the  Spirit  in  us  at  this  moment  are  not 
the  consummation  —  the  perfection  is  yet  to  come.  We 
must  not  boast  that  we  have  attained,  and  so  reckon  the 
wave-sheaf  to  be  all  the  produce  of  the  year  :  we  must 
hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness,  and  pant  for  the  day 
of  full  redemption.  Dear  reader,  this  evening  open  j«ur 
mouth  wide,  and  God  will  fill  it.  Let  the  boon  in  present 
possession  excite  in  you  a  sacred  avarice  for  more  grace. 
Groan  within  yourself  for  higher  degrees  of  consecration, 
and  your  Lord  will  grant  them  to  you,  for  He  is  able  to  do 
exceeding  abundantly  above  what  we  ask,  or  even  think. 


232  EVENING    READINGS.  AugUSt  17 


•  This  sickness  is  not  unto  death."  —  John  xi.  4. 

il^^ROM  our  Lord's  words  we  learn  that  there  is  a  limit 
P^  to  sickness.  Here  is  an  "  unto "  within  which  it.* 
ultimate  end  is  restrained,  and  beyond  which  it  can- 
not go.  Lazarus  might  pass  through  death,  but  death  wal 
cot  to  1)6  the  ultimatum  of  his  sickness.  In  all  sickness,  {hi 
Lord  saith  to  the  waves  of  pain,  "  Hitherto  lihall  ye  go.  but 
no  farther."  His  fixed  purpose  is  not  the  destruction,  but 
the  instruction  of  His  people.  Wisdom  hangs  up  the  ther- 
mometer at  the  furnace  mouth,  and  regulates  the  heat. 

1.  The  limit  is  encouragivgly  comprelieiisive.  The  God  of 
providence  has  limited  the  time,  manner,  intensity,  repeti 
tion,  and  effects  of  all  our  sicknesses  ;  each  throb  is  decreed, 
each  sleepless  hour  predestinated,  each  relapse  ordained,  each 
depression  of  spirit  foreknown,  and  each  sanctifying  result 
eternally  purposed.  Nothing  great  or  small  escapes  the  or- 
daining hand  of  Him  who  numbers  the  hairs  of  our  head. 

2.  This  limit  is  wisely  adjusted  to  our  strength,  to  the  end 
designed,  and  to  the  grace  apportioned.  Affliction  comes  not 
at  haphazard  —  the  weight  of  every  stroke  of  the  rod  is  accu- 
rately measured.  He  who  made  no  mistakes  in  balancing  the 
clouds  and  meting  out  the  heavens,  commits  no  errors  in  meas- 
uring out  the  ingredients  which  compose  the  medicine  of  souls. 
We  cannot  Buffer  too  much,  nor  be  relieved  too  late. 

3.  The  limit  is  tenderly  appointed.  The  knife  of  the  heav- 
enly Surgeon  never  cuts  deeper  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 
"He  doth  not  afflict  willingly,  nor  grieve  the  children  of 
men."  A  mother's  heart  cries,  "  Spare  my  child  !  "  but  no 
mother  is  more  compassionate  than  our  gracious  God. 
When  we  consider  how  hard-mouthed  we  are,  it  is  a  won- 
der that  we  are  not  driven  with  a  sharper  bit.  The,  thought 
is  full  of  consolation,  that  He  who  has  fixed  the  bounds 
of  our  habitation  has  also  fixed  the  bounds  of  our  tribu- 
lation. 


August  18.  EVENING    BEAD1NG8.  233 

"And  they  gave  Jlim  to  drink  wine  viingled  with  myrrh :  but  Ht 
received  it  not."  —  Mark  xv.  23. 

n!^|^  GOLDEN  truth  is  couclied  in  the  fact  that  the  Sa- 
Hf^  viour  put  the  niyrrhed  wine-cup  from  His  lips.  On 
-"^^^  the  heights  of  heaven  the  Son  of  God  stood  of  old, 
and  as  He  looked  down  upon  our  globe  He  measured  the 
long  descent  to  the  utmost  depths  of  human  misery;  He  list 
up  the  sum  total  of  all  the  agonies  which  expiation  would  re- 
quire, and  abated  not  a  jot.  He  solemnly  determined  that 
to  offer  a  suflBcient  atoning  sacrifice.  He  must  go  the  whole 
way,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  from  the  throne  of  high- 
est glor}"^  to  the  cross  of  deepest  woe.  This  myrrhed  cup, 
with  its  soporific  influence,  would  have  stayed  Him  within  a 
little  of  the  utmost  limit  of  misery,  therefore  He  refused  it. 
He  would  not  stop  short  of  all  He  had  undertaken  to  suffer 
for  His  people.  Ah,  how  many  of  us  have  pined  after  reliefs 
to  our  grief  which  would  have  been  injurious  to  us  !  Reader, 
did  you  never  pray  for  a  discharge  from  hard  service  or  suf- 
fering with  a  petulant  and  wilful  eagerness  ?  Providence 
has  taken  from  you  the  desire  of  your  eyes  with  a  stroke. 
Say,  Christian,  if  it  had  been  said,  "  If  you  so  desire  it,  that 
loved  one  of  yours  shall  live,  but  God  will  be  dishonored," 
could  you  have  put  away  the  temptation,  and  said,  "  Thy 
will  be  done"?  Oh,  it  is  sweet  to  be  able  to  say,  "My 
Lord,  if  for  other  reasons  I  need  not  suffer,  yet  if  I  can 
honor  Thee  more  by  suffering,  and  if  the  loss  of  my  earthly 
all  will  bring  Thee  glory,  then  so  let  it  be.  I  refuse  the 
comfort,  if  it  comes  in  the  way  of  Thine  honor."  Oh  that 
we.  thus  walked  more  in  the  footsteps  of  our  Lord,  cheerfully 
enduring  trial  for  His  sake,  promptly  and  willingly  putting 
away  the  thought  of  seF  and  comfort  when  it  would  inter- 
fere with  our  finishing  the  work  which  He  has  given  us 
to  do.  Great  grace  is  needed,  but  great  grace  is  pr.- 
TiJed. 

20* 


234  EVENING    READINGS.  AugUSt  19 

"  Pull  me  out  of  the  net  that  they  have  laid  privily  for  me  :for  Thou 
art  my  strength."  —  Psalm  xxxi.  4. 

jUpjj^^UIl  spiritual  foes  are  of  the  serpent's  brood,  and  seek 
^jli|r4f|  to  iusuare  us  by  subtlety.  The  prayer  before  U3 
^^^  supposes  the  possibility  of  the  believer  being  caught 
like  a  bird.  So  deftly  does  the  fowler  do  his  work,  that 
eiuiple  ones  are  soon  surrounded  by  the  net.  The  text 
asks  that  even  out  of  Satan's  meshes  the  captive  one  may  be 
delivered ;  this  is  a  proper  petition,  and  one  which  can  be 
granted  :  from  between  the  jaws  of  the  lion,  and  o-ut  of  the 
belly  of  hell,  can  eternal  love  rescue  the  saint.  It  may  need 
a  sharp  pull  to  save  a  soul  from  the  net  of  temptation,  and  a 
mighty  pull  to  extricate  a  man  from  the  snares  of  malicious 
cunning,  but  the  Lord  is  equal  to  every  emergency,  and  the 
most  skilfully  placed  nets  of  the  hunter  shall  never  be  able 
to  hold  His  chosen  ones.  Woe  unto  those  who  are  so  clever 
at  net-laying  ;  they  who  tempt  others  shall  be  destroyed 
themselves. 

"  For  Thou  art  my  strength."  What  an  inexpressible 
sweetness  is  to  be  found  in  these  few  words  !  How  joyfully 
may  we  encounter  toils,  and  how  cheerfully  may  we  endure 
sufierings,  when  we  can  lay  hold  upon  celestial  strength. 
Divine  power  will  rend  asunder  all  the  toils  of  our  enemies, 
confound  their  politics,  and  frustrate  their  knavish  tricks; 
he  is  a  happy  man  who  has  such  matchless  might  engaged 
upon  bis  side.  Our  own  strength  would  be  of  little  service 
•when  embarrassed  in  the  nets  of  base  cunning,  but  th)  Lord's 
strength  is  ever  available ;  we  have  but  to  invoke  it,  and  we 
shall  find  it  near  at  hand.  If  by  faith  we  are  depending  alone 
upon  the  strength  of  the  mighty  God  of  Israel,  we  may  use 
our  holy  reliance  as  a  plea  in  supplication. 

"  Lord,  evermore  Thy  face  we  seek ; 
Tempted  we  arc,  and  poor,  and  weak; 
Keep  us  with  lowly  hearts,  and  meek. 
Let  U8  not  fall.    Let  us  not  fall." 


August  20.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  235 

"  And  thqj  fortified  Jerusalem  unto  the  broad  wall.'" 
Nehemiah  iii.  8. 

^^5^(^ITIES  well  fortified  have  broad  wall.s,  and  so  had 
fC^iV=  Jerusalem  in  her  glory.  The  New  Jerusalem  must, 
'^  in  like  manner,  be  surrounded  and  preserved   by  a 

broad  wall  of  non-conformity  to  the  world,  and  separation 
from  its  customs  and  spirit.  The  tendency  of  these  days  is 
to  break  down  the  holy  barrier,  and  make  the  distinction 
between  the  church  and  tlie  world  merely  nominal.  Profess- 
ors are  no  longer  strict  and  Puritanical,  questionable  liter- 
ature is  read  on  all  hands,  frivolous  pastimes  are  currently 
indulged,  and  a  general  laxity  threatens  to  deprive  the  Lord's 
peculiar  people  of  those  sacred  singularities  which  separate 
them  from  sinners.  It  will  be  an  ill  day  for  the  church  and 
the  world  when  the  proposed  amalgamation  shall  be  com- 
plete, and  the  sons  of  God  and  the  daughters  of  men  shall 
be  as  one  :  then  shall  another  deluge  of  wrath  be  ushered  in. 
Beloved  reader,  be  it  your  aim  in  heart,  in  word,  in  dress, 
in  action,  to  maintain  the  broad  wall,  remembering  that  the 
friendship  of  this  world  is  enmity  against  God. 

The  broad  wall  afforded  a  pleasant  place  of  resort  for  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  from  which  the}'  could  command 
prospects  of  the  surrounding  country.  This  reminds  us  of 
the  Lord's  exceeding  broad  commandments,  in  which  we 
walk  at  liberty  in  communion  with  Jesus,  overlooking  the 
scenes  of  earth,  and  looking  out  towards  the  glories  of 
heaven.  Separated  from  the  world,  and  denying  ourselves 
all  ungodliness  and  fleshly  lusts,  we  are  nevertheless  not  in 
prison,  nor  restricted  within  narrow  bounds  ;  nay,  we  walk 
at  liberty,  because  we  keep  Ilis  precepts.  Come,  reader, 
this  evening  walk  with  God  in  his  statutes.  As  friend  met 
friend  upon  the  city  wall,  so  meet  thou  thy  God  in  the  way 
of  holy  prayer  and  meditation.  The  bulwarks  of  salvation 
thou  hast  a  right  to  traverse,  for  thou  art  a  freeman  of  tho 
royal  burgh,  a  citi;"^'-    "  '         ■'     "^olis  of  the  universe. 


236  ETENING    KEADINGS.  Au|:ust21. 

"  I  said  not  unto  the  seed  of  Jacob,  Seek  ye  Me  in  vain." 
Isaiah  xlv.  19. 

^^[Flt^E  may  gain  much  solace  by  considering  what  God  has 
W/\^lfm  not  said.  What  He  has  said  is  inexpressibly  full  of 
"^^^^  comfort  and  delight ;  what  He  has  not  said  is  scarce 
ly  less  rich  in  consolation.  It  was  one  of  these  "  said  nots  " 
which  preserved  the  kingdom  of  Israel  in  the  days  of  Jero- 
boam, the  son  of  Joash,  for  "  the  Lord  said  not  that  JJe 
would  blot  out  the  name  of  Israel  from  under  heaven."  2 
Kings  siv.  27.  In  our  test  we  have  an  assurance  that  God 
tvill  answer  prayer,  because  He  hath  "  not  said  unto  the  seed 
of  Israel,  Seek  ye  Me  in  vain."  You  who  write  bitter  things 
against  ^'ourselves,  should  remember  that,  let  your  doubts 
and  fears  say  what  they  will,  if  God  has  not  cut  you  off  from 
mercy,  there  is  no  room  for  despair  ;  even  the  voice  of  con- 
science is  of  little  weight  if  it  be  not  seconded  by  the  voice 
of  God.  What  God  has  said,  tremble  at  !  But  suffer  not 
your  vain  imaginings  to  overwhelm  you  with  despondency 
and  sinful  despair.  Many  timid  persons  have  been  vexed  by 
the  suspicion  that  there  may  be  something  in  God's  decree 
which  shuts  them  out  from  hope  ;  but  here  is  a  complete 
refutation  to  that  troublesome  fear,  for  no  true  seeker  can  be 
decreed  to  wrath.  "  I  have  not  spoken  in  secret,  in  a  dark 
place  of  the  earth ;  I  have  not  said,"  even  in  the  secret  of 
my  unsearchable  decree,  "  Seek  ye  Me  in  vain."  God  has 
clearly  revealed  that  He  will  hear  the  prayer  of  those  who 
call  upon  Him,  and  that  declaration  cannot  be  contiavened 
He  has  so  firmly,  sc  truthfully,  so  righteously  spoken,  t-hat 
there  can  be  no  roon  for  doubt.  He  does  not  reveal  His 
mind  in  unintelligible  words,  but  He  speaks  plainly  and  pos- 
itively, "  Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive."  Believe,  0  trembler, 
this  sure  truth  —  that  prayer  must  and  shall  be  heard,  and 
that  never,  even  in  the  secrets  of  eternity,  has  the  Lord  said 
unto  any  living  soul,  "  Seek  ye  Me  ic  vain.' 


August  22.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  237 

♦'  The  unsearchahle  riches  of  Christ."  —  Ephesians  iii.  8. 

fi'VY^Y  Master  has  riches  beyond  the  couut  of  arithmetic, 
^f  I  jl  the  nieasuremcnt  of  reason,  the  dream  of  imagina- 
'T  tion,  or  the  eloquence  of  words.  Th^y  are  unsearrh- 
abk  I  You  may  look,  and  study,  and  weigh,  but  Jesus  is  a 
greater  Saviour  than  you  think  Ilim  to  be  when  your  thoughts 
are  at  the  greatest.  My  Lord  is  more  ready  to  pardon  than 
you  to  sin,  more  able  to  forgive  than  you  to  transgress.  My 
Master  is  more  willing  to  supply  your  wants  than  you  are  to 
confess  them.  Never  tolerate  low  thoughts  of  my  Lord 
Jesus.  When  you  put  the  crown  on  His  head,  you  will  only 
crown  Him  with  silver  when  He  deserves  gold,  lly  blaster 
has  riches  of  happiness  to  hestoio  upon  you  noin.  He  can  make 
you  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures,  and  lead  you  beside  still 
waters.  There  is  no  music  like  the  niusic  of  His  pipe,  when 
He  is  the  Shepherd  and  you  are  the  sheep,  and  you  lie  down 
at  His  feet.  There  is  no  love  like  His  ;  neither  earth  nor 
heaven  can  match  it.  To  know  Christ  and  to  be  found  in 
Him  —  oil,  this  is  life,  this  is  joy,  this  is  marrow  and  fat- 
ness, wine  on  the  lees  well  refined.  My  Master  does  not 
treat  his  servants  churlishly  ;  He  gives  to  them  as  a  king 
giveth  to  a  king ;  He  gives  them  two  heavens  —  a  heaven 
below  in  serving  Him  here,  and  a  heaven  above  in  delighting 
in  Him  forever.  His  unsearchable  riches  ivill  be  best  known 
in  eternit]].  He  will  give  you,  on  the  way  to  heaven,  all  you 
need ;  your  place  of  defence  shall  be  the  munitions  of  rocks, 
your  bread  shall  be  given  you,  and  your  waters  shall  be  sure  ; 
but  it  is  there,  there,  where  you  shall  hear  the  song  of  them 
that  triumph,  the  shout  of  thorn  that  feast,  and  shall  have  a 
face-to-face  view  of  the  glorious  and  beloved  One.  The  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ!  This  is  the  tuuo  for  the  min- 
strels cf  earth,  and  the  song  for  tlic  harpers  of  heaven. 
Lord,  teach  us  more  and  more  of  Jesus,  and  we  will  tell  out 
the  good  news  to  others. 


238  ETENING    READINGS.  Augtist  23 

"  That  Christ  may'  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith." 
Ephesians  iii.  17. 

^^EYOND  measure  it  is  desirable  that  we,  as  believers, 
should  have  the  person  of  Jesus  constantly  before  us, 
to  inflame  our  love  towards  Him,  and  to  increase  our 
knowledge  of  Him.  I  would  to  God  that  my  readers  were 
all  entered  as  diligent  scholars  in  Jesus'  college,  students  cf 
Corpus  Christi,  or  the  body  of  Christ,  resolved  to  attain  unto 
a  good  degree  in  the  learning  of  the  cross.  But  to  have  Je- 
sus ever  near,  the  heart  must  be  full  of  Him,  welling  up  with 
His  love,  even  to  overruuning  ;  hence  the  apostle  prays  "  that 
Christ  may  divell  in  your  hearts."  Sec  how  near  he  would 
have  Jesus  to  be  !  You  cannot  get  a  subject  closer  to  you 
than  to  have  it  in  the  heart  itself.  "  That  He  mau  dwell :  " 
not  that  He  may  call  upon  you  sometimes,  as  a  casual  visitor 
enters  into  a  house  and  tarries  for  a  night,  but  that  He  may 
divell ;  that  Jesus  may  become  the  Lord  and  Tenant  of  your 
inmost  being,  never  more  to  go  out. 

Observe  the  words  —  that  He  may  dwell  in  your  heart,  that 
best  room  of  the  house  of  manhood  ;  not  in  your  thoughts 
alone,  but  in  your  affections  ;  not  merely  in  the  mind's  med 
itations,  but  in  the  heart's  emotions.  We  should  pant  after 
love  to  Christ  of  a  most  abiding  character,  not  a  love  tha*^^ 
flames  up  and  then  dies  out  into  the  darkness  of  a  few  em- 
bers, but  a  constant  flame,  fed  by  sacred  fuel,  like  the  fire 
upon  the  altar  which  never  went  out.  This  cannot  be  ac- 
complished except  by  faith.  Faith  must  be  strong,  or  love 
will  not  be  fervent ;  the  root  of  the  flower  must  be  healthy, 
or  we  cannot  expect  the  bloom  to  be  sweet.  Faith  is  the 
lily's  root,  and  love  is  the  lily's  bloom.  Now,  reader,  Jesus 
cannot  be  in  your  heart's  love  except  you  have  a  firm  hold 
of  Him  by  your  heart's  faith  ;  and,  therefore,  pray  that  you 
may  always  trust  Christ  in  order  that  you  may  always  love 
Him.     If  love  be  cold,  be  sure  that  faith  is  drooping. 


August  24.  EVENIXG    nEAllINGS.  239 

"  Iffi^^  break  out,  and  catch  in  thoi-ns,  so  that  the  stacks  of  com, 
or  the  standinij  corn,  or  the  field,  be  consumed  thereicith,  he  that 
kindled  the  fire  shall  surely  make  restilulion." —  Exodus  xxii.  6. 

^jjl^^UT  what  restitution  can  he  make  who  casts  abroad 
^'1  j'\i  the  firebrands  of  error,  or  the  coals  of  lasciviouf-ness, 
x^sS^b.  gjj^^  gg|.g  men's  souls  on  a  blaze  with  the  fire  of  hell  ? 
The  guilt  is  beyond  estimate,  and  the  result  is  irretrievable. 
If  such  an  offender  be  forgiven,  what  grief  it  will  cause  him 
in  the  retrospect,  since  he  cannot  undo  the  mischief  which  he 
has  done  !  An  ill  example  may  kindle  a  flame  which  years 
of  amended  character  cannot  quench.  To  burn  the  food  of 
man  is  bad  enough,  but  how  much  worse  to  destroy  the  soul ! 
It  may  be  useful  to  us  to  reflect  how  far  we  may  have  been 
guilty  in  the  past,  and  to  inquire  whether,  even  in  the  pres- 
ent, there  may  not  be  evil  in  us  which  has  a  tendency  to  bring 
damage  to  the  souls  of  our  relatives,  friends,  or  neighbors. 

The  fire  of  strife  is  a  terrible  evil  when  it  breaks  out  in  a 
Christian  church.  Where  converts  were  multiplied  and  God 
was  glorified,  jealousy  and  envy  do  the  devil's  work  most 
effectually.  Where  the  golden  grain  was  being  housed,  to 
reward  the  toil  of  the  great  Boaz,  the  fire  of  enmity  comes  in 
and  leaves  little  else  but  smoke  and  a  heap  of  blackness. 
Woe  unto  those  by  whom  oflences  come.  May  they  never 
come  through  us,  for  although  we  cannot  make  restitution, 
MC  shall  certainly  be  the  chief  sufferers  if  we  are  the  chief 
offenders.  Those  who  feed  the  fire  deserve  just  censure,  but 
he  who  first  kindles  it  is  most  to  blame.  Discord  usually  takes 
first  hold  upon  the  thorns  ;  it  is  i  irtured  among  the  hypo- 
crites and  base  professors  in  the  ihurch,  and  away  it  goes 
among  tbe  righteous,  blown  by  the  winds  of  hell,  and  no  ono 
knows  where  it  may  end.  0  Thou  Lord  and  giver  of  peace, 
make  us  peacemakers,  and  never  let  us  aid  and  abet  the 
men  of  strife,  or  even  unintentionally  cause  the  least  divisioQ 
among  Thy  people. 


240  EVENING    HEADINGS.  AugUSt  25 

"  If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou  may  est."  —  Acts  viii.  37. 

^HESE  words  may  answer  your  scruples,  devout  read- 
ing er,  concerning  the  ordinances.  Perhaps  you  say,  "  I 
should  be  afraid  to  be  baptized  ;  it  is  such  a  solemn 
Ihing  to  avow  myself  to  be  dead  with  Christ,  and  buried  with 
Him.  I  should  not  feel  at  liberty  to  come  to  the  Master's 
table  ;  I  should  be  afraid  of  eating  and  drinking  damnation 
unto  myself,  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body."  Ah  !  poor 
trembler,  Jesus  has  given  you  liberty  ;  be  not  afraid.  If  a 
stranger  came  to  your  house,  he  would  stand  at  the  door,  or 
wait  in  the  hall ;  he  would  not  dream  of  intruding  unbidden 
into  your  parlor  —  he  is  not  at  home  :  but  your  child  makes 
himself  very  free  about  the  house  ;  and  so  it  is  with  the  child 
of  God.  A  stranger  may  not  intrude  where  a  child  may  ven- 
ture. When  the  Holy  Ghost  has  given  you  to  feel  the  spirit 
of  adoption,  you  may  come  to  Christian  ordinances  without 
fear.  The  same  rule  holds  good  of  the  Christian  s  imvarc' 
privileges.  You  think,  poor  seeker,  that  you  are  not  allowe(? 
to  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  fall  of  glory  ;  if  you  are 
permitted  to  get  inside  Christ's  door,  or  sit  at  the  bottom  of 
his  table,  you  will  be  well  content.  Ah  !  but  you  shall  noi 
have  less  privileges  than  the  very  greatest.  God  makes  no 
diiference  in  His  love  to  His  children.  A  child  is  a  child  to 
Him ;  He  will  not  make  him  a  hired  servant ;  but  he  shall 
feast  upon  the  fatted  calf,  and  shall  have  the  music  and  the 
dancing  as  much  as  if  he  had  never  gone  astray.  When 
Jesus  comes  into  the  heart,  he  issues  a  general  license  to  be 
glad  in  the  Lord.  No  chains  are  worn  in  the  court  of  King 
Jesus.  Our  admission  into  full  privileges  may  be  gradual, 
but  it  is  sure.  Perhaps  our  reader  is  saying,  "  I  wish  I 
sould  enjoy  the  promises,  and  walk  at  liberty  in  my  Lord's 
.commands."  "  If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thcu 
mayest."  Loose  the  chains  of  thy  neck,  0  captive  daughttr, 
for  Jesus  makes  thee  free. 


August  26.  ETENINO    READINGS.  241 

"  The  people,  when  they  beheld  ITim,  were  greatly  amaz'A,  a'Ad  r«n- 
ning  to  Him  saluted  Him."  —  Mark  ix.  15. 

^^i|-^OW  groat  the  difference  between  Moses  and  Jesus  ! 
o|^\>  When  the  prophet  of  Horcb  had  been  forty  daya 
''^^**  upon  the  mountain,  he  underwent  a  kind  of  transfig- 
uration, so  that  his  countenance  shone  with  exceeding  bright- 
ness, and  he  put  a  veil  over  his  face,  for  the  people  could  not 
endure  to  look  upon  his  glory.  Not  so  our  Saviour.  He  had 
been  transfigured  with  a  greater  glory  than  that  of  Moses, 
and  yet  it  is  not  written  that  the  people  were  blinded  by  the 
blaze  of  His  countenance,  but  rather  they  were  amazed,  and 
running  to  Him  they  saluted  Him.  The  glory  of  the  law  re- 
pels, but  the  greater  glory  of  Jesus  attracts.  Though  Jesus 
is  holy  and  just,  yet  blended  with  His  purity  there  is  so  much 
Df  truth  and  grace,  that  sinners  run  to  Him  amazed  at  His 
goodness,  fascinated  by  His  love  ;  they  salute  Him,  become 
His  disciples,  and  take  Him  to  be  their  Lord  and  Master. 
Reader,  it  may  be  that  just  now  you  are  blinded  by  the 
dazzling  brightness  of  the  law  of  God.  You  feel  its  claims 
on  your  conscience,  but  you  cannot  keep  it  in  your  life.  Not 
that  you  find  fault  with  the  law ;  on  the  contrary,  it  com- 
mands your  profoundest  esteem  ;  still  you  are  in  no  wise  drawn 
by  it  to  God  ;  you  are  rather  hardened  in  heart,  and  are 
verging  towards  desperation.  Ah,  poor  heart !  turn  thine 
eye  from  Moses,  with  all  his  repelling  splendor,  and  look  to 
Jesus,  resplendent  with  milder  glories.  Behold  His  flowing 
wounds  and  thorn-crowned  head  !  He  is  the  Son  of  God,  and 
therein  he  is  greater  than  Moses  ;  but  He  is  the  Lord  of  love, 
and  therein  more  tender  than  the  lawgiver.  He  bore  the 
wrath  of  God,  and  in  His  death  revealed  more  of  God's  jus- 
tice than  Sinai  on  a  blaze  ;  but  that  justice  is  now  vindicated, 
and  henceforth  it  is  the  guardian  of  believers  in  Jesus.  Look, 
Binncr,  to  the  bleeding  Saviour,  and  as  thou  feelest  the  at- 
traction of  His  love,  fly  to  His  arms,  and  thou  shalt  be  ?aved. 
21 


242  EVENING    KEADING8.  AllgUSt  27. 

"Into  Tliine  hand  I  commit  my  spirit:  Thou  hast  redeemed  me,  0 
Lord  Ood  of  truth."  —  Psalm  xxxi.  5. 

j*^HESE  words  have  been  frequently  used  by  holy  men 
in  their  hour  of  departure.  We  may  profitably  con- 
sider them  this  evening.  The  object  of  the  faithful 
man's  solicitude  in  life  and  death  is  not  his  body  or  his 
estate,  but  his  spirit ;  this  is  his  choice  treasure  —  if  this 
be  safe,  all  is  well.  What  is  this  mortal  state  compared  with 
the  soul  ?  The  believer  commits  his  soul  to  the  hand  of  his 
Grod  ;  it  came  from  Him,  it  is  His  own,  He  has  aforetime 
sustained  it,  He  is  able  to  keep  it,  and  it  is  most  fit  that  He 
should  receive  it.  All  things  are  safe  in  Jehovah's  hands  ; 
what  we  intrust  to  the  Lord  will  be  secure,  both  now  and  in 
that  day  of  days  towards  which  we  are  hastening.  It  is 
peaceful  living  and  glorious  dying  to  repose  in  the  care  of 
Heaven.  At  all  times  we  should  commit  our  all  to  Jesus' 
faithful  hand  ;  then,  though  life  may  hang  on  a  thread,  and 
adversities  may  multiply  as  the  sands  of  the  sea,  our  soul 
shall  dwell  at  ease,  and  delight  itself  in  quiet  resting-places. 
"  Thou  hast  redeemed  me,  0  Lord  God  of  truth."  Re- 
demption is  a  solid  basis  for  confidence.  David  had  not 
known  Calvary  as  we  have  done,  but  temporal  redemption 
cheered  him  ;  and  shall  not  eternal  redemption  yet  more 
sweetly  console  us  ?  Past  deliverances  are  strong  pleas  for 
present  assistance.  What  the  Lord  has  done  He  will  do 
again,  for  He  changes  not.  He  is  faithful  to  His  promises, 
tnd  gracious  to  His  saints  ;  He  will  not  turn  away  from  Hid 
people. 

"  Though  Thou  slay  me  I  will  trust, 
Praise  Thee  even  from  the  dust, 
Prove,  and  tell  it  as  I  prove, 
Thine  unutterable  love. 

"  Thou  mayst  chasten  and  correct, 

But  Thou  never  canst  neglect; 
Since  the  ransom  price  is  piiid, 
On  Tliy  love  my  nope  is  stayed," 


August  28.  EVENING    BEADINOS.  24J» 

"  Sing,  0  barren."  —  Isaiah  liv.  1. 

^^■^^HOUGH  we  have  brought  forth  some  fruit  unto  Christ, 
fl r 7^  and  have  a  joyful  hope  that  we  are  "plants  of  His 
^^^^^^^  own  right  hand  planting,"  yet  there  arc  times  when 
we  feci  very  barren.  Prayer  is  lifeless,  love  is  cold,  faith  is 
weak,  each  grace  in  the  garden  of  our  heart  languishes  and 
droops.  We  are  like  flowers  in  the  hot  sun,  requiring  the 
refreshing  shower.  In  such  a  condition  what  are  we  to  do  ? 
The  text  is  addressed  to  us  in  just  such  a  state.  "Sing,  0 
barren,  break  forth  and  cry  aloud."  But  what  can  I  sing 
•bout  ?  I  cannot  talk  about  the  present,  and  even  the  past 
looks  full  of  barrenness.  Ah  !  I  can  sing  of  Jesus  Christ. 
I  can  talk  of  visits  which  the  Redeemer  has  aforetimes  paid 
to  me  ;  or  if  not  of  these,  I  can  magnify  the  great  love 
wherewith  He  loved  His  people  when  He  came  from  the 
heights  of  heaven  for  their  redemption.  I  will  go  to  the 
cross  again.  Come,  my  soul,  heavy  laden  thou  wast  once, 
and  thou  didst  lose  thy  burden  there.  Go  to  Calvary  again. 
Perhaps  that  very  cross  which  gave  thee  life  may  give  thee 
fruitfulness.  What  is  my  barrenness  ?  It  is  the  platform 
for  His  fruit-creating  power.  What  is  my  desolation  r  It 
is  the  black  setting  for  the  sapphire  of  His  everlasting  love. 
I  will  go  in  poverty,  I  will  go  in  helplessness,  I  will  go  in  all 
my  shame  and  backsliding,  I  will  tell  Him  that  I  am  still  His 
child,  and  in  confidence  in  His  faithful  heart,  even  I,  the 
barren  one,  will  sing  and  cry  aloud. 

Sing,  believer,  for  it  will  cheer  thine  own  heart,  and  the 
hearts  of  other  desolate  ones.  Sing  on,  for  now  that  thou 
art  really  ashamed  of  being  barren,  thou  wilt  be  fruitful  soon  ; 
now  that  God  makes  thee  loath  to  be  without  fruit  He  will 
eoon  cover  thee  with  clusters.  The  experience  of  our  bar- 
renness is  painful,  but  the  Lord's  visitations  are  delightful. 
A  sense  of  our  own  poverty  drives  us  to  Christ,  and  that  ii 
where  we  need  to  be,  ft»r  in  Him  is  our  fruit  found. 


244  EVENING    KEADINGS.  AugUSt  29. 

"  JU  tlie  days  of  his  separation  sJiall  he  eat  nothing  that  is  made  of 
the  vine  tree,  from  the  kernels  even  to  the  husk."  —  Numb.  vi.  4. 

!|6AZARITES  had  taken,  amoDjc  other  vows,  one  whic'' 
/f^j  debarred  them  from  the  use  of  wine.  In  order  thai 
they  might  not  violate  the  obligation,  they  were  for- 
^idden  to  drink  the  vinegar  of  wine  or  strong  liquors  ;  and, 
to  make  the  rule  still  more  clear,  they  were  not  to  touch  the 
uutermented  juice  of  grapes,  nor  even  to  eat  the  fruit  either 
fresh  or  dried.  In  order,  altogether,  to  secure  the  integrity 
of  the  vow,  they  were  not  even  allowed  anything  that  had  to 
do  with  the  vine  ;  they  were,  in  fact,  to  avoid  the  appearance 
of  evil.  Surely  this  is  a  lesson  to  the  Lord's  separated  ones, 
teaching  them  to  come  away  from  sin  in  every  form  ;  to  avoid 
not  merely  its  grosser  shapes,  but  even  its  spirit  and  simili- 
tude. Strict  walking  is  much  despised  in  these  days,  but 
rest  assured,  dear  reader,  it  is  both  the  safest  and  the  hap- 
piest. He  who  yields  a  point  or  two  to  the  world  is  in  fear- 
ful peril ;  he  who  eats  the  grapes  of  Sodom  will  soon  drink 
the  wine  of  Gomorrha.  A  little  crevice  in  the  sea-bank  in 
Holland  lets  in  the  sea,  and  the  gap  speedily  swells  till  a 
province  is  drowned.  Worldly  conformity,  in  any  degree,  is 
a  snare  to  the  soul,  and  makes  it  more  and  more  liable  to 
presumptuous  sins.  Moreover,  as  the  Nazarite  who  drank 
grape  juice  could  not  be  quite  sure  whether  it  might  not 
hRve  endured  a  degree  of  fermentation,  and  consequently 
could  not  be  clear  in  heart  that  his  vow  was  intact,  so  the 
yielding,  temporizing  Christian,  cannot  wear  a  conscience 
void  of  offence,  but  must  feci  that  the  inward  monitor  is  ia 
doubt  of  him.  Things  doubtful  we  need  not  doubt  about ; 
they  are  wrong  to  us.  Things  tempting  we  must  not  dally 
with,  but  flee  from  them  with  speed.  Better  be  sneered  at 
as  a  Puritan  than  be  despised  as  a  hypocrite.  Careful  walk- 
ing may  involve  much  self-denial,  but  it  has  pleasures  of  i(« 
own  which  are  more  tban  a  sufficient  recompense. 


.\UgUSt  30.  E\ENIXG    HEADINGS.  245 

'•  Heal  me,  0  Lord,  and  I  shall  be  healed.''  —  Jer.  xvii.  14. 
'*  /  have  seen  his  ways,  and  will  heal  him."  —  Isa.  Iv'i.  18. 

"jSClflvrT  is  the  sole  nrcrojrative  of  God  to  remove  spiritual 
^li-?i  ^i^f*^^*^-  Natural  disease  may  be  instrumentally 
y/^\m  lie^lcd  by  men,  but  even  then  the  honor  is  to  be 
given  to  God,  who  givcth  virtue  unto  medicine,  and  bestow- 
eth  power  unto  the  human  frame  to  cast  off  disease.  As  for 
spiritual  sicknesses,  these  remain  with  the  great  Physician 
alone  ;  He  claims  it  as  His  prerogative,  "  I  kill  and  I  mako 
alive,  I  wound  and  I  heal  ; "  and  one  of  the  Lord's  choice 
titles  is  Jehovah-Rophi,  the  Lord  that  healeth  thee.  "  I  will 
heal  thee  of  thy  wounds,"  is  a  promise  which  could  not  come 
from  the  lip  of  man,  but  only  from  the  mouth  of  the  eternal 
God.  On  this  account  the  psalmist  cried  unto  the  Lord,  "  0 
Lord,  heal  me,  for  my  bones  are  sore  vexed  ; "  and  again, 
"  Heal  my  soul,  for  I  have  sinned  against  Thee."  For  this 
also  the  godly  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord,  saying,  "  He 
healeth  all  our  diseases."  He  who  made  man  can  restore 
man  ;  He  who  was  at  first  the  creator  of  our  nature  can  new 
create  it.  What  a  transcendent  comfort  it  is  that  in  the  per- 
son of  Jesus  "  dwclleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bod- 
ily !  "  My  soul,  whatever  thy  disease  may  be,  this  great  Phy. 
sician  can  heal  thee.  If  He  be  God,  there  can  be  no  limit 
to  His  power.  Come,  then,  with  the  blind  eye  of  darkened 
understanding,  come  with  the  limping  foot  of  wasted  energy, 
come  with  the  maimed  hand  of  weak  faith,  the  fever  of  an 
angry  temper,  or  the  ague  of  shivering  despondency,  come 
just  as  thou  art,  for  He  who  is  God  can  certainly  restore  thee 
of  thy  plague.  None  shall  restrain  the  healing  virtue  which 
proceeds  from  Jesus  our  Lord.  Legions  of  devils  have  been 
made  to  own  the  power  of  the  beloved  Physician,  and  never 
once  has  he  been  baffled.  All  His  patients  have  been  cured 
in  the  past,  and  shall  be  in  the  future,  aud  thou  shalt  be  one 
among  them,  my  friend  if  thou  wilt  but  rest  thyself  in  Hinc 
this  night.  21  * 


846  EVENING    READINGS.  AugUSt  31. 

''If  toe  walk  in  the  lujM,  as  He  is  in  the  ligM"  —  1  John  i.  7. 

^S  He  is  in  the  light !  Can  we  ever  attaia  to  this  ? 
,_i'^  Shall  we  ever  be  able  to  walk  as  clearly  in  the  light 
^^^^*^  as  He  is  whom  we  call  "  Our  Father,"  of  whom  it  is 
written,  "  God  is  light,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at  all"  ? 
Certainly,  this  is  the  model  which  is  set  before  us,  for  the 
Saviour  Himself  said,  "  Be  ye  perfect,  even  as  your  Father 
who  is  in  heaven  is  perfect ; "  and  although  we  may  feel  that 
we  can  never  rival  the  perfection  of  God,  yet  we  are  to  seek 
after  it,  and  never  to  be  satisfied  until  we  attain  to  it.  The 
youthful  artist,  as  he  grasps  his  early  pencil,  can  hardly  hopo 
to  equal  Raphael  or  Michael  Angelo  ;  but  still,  if  he  did  not 
have  a  noble  heau  ideal  before  his  mind,  he  would  only  at- 
tain to  something  very  mean  and  ordinary.  But  what  is 
meant  by  the  expression  that  the  Christian  is  to  walk  in  light 
as  God  is  in  the  light  ?  We  conceive  it  to  import  likeness, 
but  not  degree.  We  are  as  truly  in  the  light,  we  are  as 
heartily  in  the  light,  we  are  as  sincerely  in  the  light,  as  hon- 
estly in  the  light,  though  we  cannot  be  there  in  the  same 
measure.  I  cannot  dwell  in  the  sun ;  it  is  too  bright  a  place 
for  my  residence  ;  but  I  can  walk  in  the  light  of  the  sun  ;  and 
so,  though  I  cannot  attain  to  that  perfection  of  purity  and 
truth  which  belongs  to  the  Lord  of  Hosts  by  nature  as  the 
infinitely  good,  yet  I  can  set  the  Lord  always  before  me,  and 
strive,  by  the  help  of  the  indwelling  Spirit,  after  conformity 
to  His  image.  That  famous  old  commentator,  John  Trapp, 
says,  "  We  may  be  in  the  light  as  God  is  in  the  light  for 
quality,  but  not  for  equality"  We  are  to  have  the  same 
light,  and  are  as  truly  to  have  it  and  walk  in  it  as  God  does, 
though,  as  for  equality  with  God  in  His  holiness  and  purity, 
that  must  be  left  until  we  cross  the  Jordan  and  enter  into 
the  perfection  of  the  Most  High.  Mark  that  the  blessings 
of  sacred  fellowship  and  perfect  cleansing  are  bound  up  with 
walking  in  the  light. 


8opt.   1.  EVENING    EEADINOS.  247 


"  Trust  in  Ilim  at  all  times."  —  Psalm  Ixii.  8. 


<w5;^'^^AITH  is  as  much  the  rule  of  temporal  as  of  spiritual 
^-^ll^-J  life.  We  ought  to  have  faith  in  God  for  our  earthly 
^^'^^  affairs  as  well  as  for  our  heavenly  business.  It  ia 
only  as  we  learn  to  trust  in  God  for  the  supply  of  all  our 
daily  need  that  we  shall  live  above  the  world.  We  are  not 
to  be  idle ;  that  would  show  we  did  not  trust  in  God,  who 
worlvcth  hitherto,  but  in  the  devil,  who  is  the  father  of  idle- 
ness. We  are  not  to  be  imprudent  or  rash  ;  that  were  to 
trust  chance,  and  not  the  living  God,  who  is  a  God  of  econ- 
omy and  order.  Acting  in  all  prudence  and  uprightness,  we 
are  to  rely  simply  and  entirely  upon  the  Lord  at  all  times. 

Let  me  commend  to  you  a  life  of  trust  in  God  in  temporal 
things.  Trusting  in  God,  you  will  not  be  compelled  to  mourn 
because  you  have  used  sinful  means  to  grow  rich.  Serve  God 
with  integrity,  and  if  you  achieve  no  success,  at  least  no  sin 
will  lie  upon  your  conscience.  Trusting  God,  you  will  not  be 
guilty  of  self-contradiction.  He  who  trusts  in  craft  sails  this 
way  to-day,  and  that  way  the  next,  like  a  vessel  tossed  about 
by  the  fickle  wind ;  but  he  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord  is  like  a 
vessel  propelled  by  steam  ;  she  cuts  through  the  waves,  defies 
•  the  wind,  and  makes  one  bright,  silvery,  straightforward  track 
to  her  destined  haven.  Be  you  a  man  with  living  principles 
within  ;  never  bow  to  the  varying  customs  of  worldly  wisdom. 
Walk  in  your  path  of  integrity  with  steadfast  steps,  and  show 
that  you  are  invincibly  strong  in  the  strength  which  confi- 
dence in  God  alone  can  confer.  Thus  you  will  be  delivered 
from  carking  care,  you  will  not  be  troubled  with  evil  tidings, 
your  heart  will  be  fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord.  How  pleasant 
to  float  along  the  stream  of  providence  !  There  is  no  more 
blessed  way  of  living  than  a  life  of  dependence  upon  a  cove- 
nant-keeping God.  We  have  no  care,  for  He  careth  for  us  ; 
we  have  no  troubles,  because  we  cast  our  burdens  upon  th« 
Lord. 


248  EVENING    HEADINGS.  Sept.  2. 

"  Except  ye  see  signs  and  wonders,  ye  will  not  believe." 
John  iv.  48. 

^^1  '^  CRAVING  after  marvels  was  a  symptom  of  the  sicklj 
Wj\  \  state  of  men's  minds  in  our  Lord's  day  ;  they  refused 


?d 
solid  nourishment,  and  pined  after  mere  wonder. 
The  gospel  which  they  so  greatly  needed  they  would  not 
have ;  the  miracles  which  Jesus  did  not  always  choose  to 
give,  they  eagerly  demanded.  Many  nowadays  must  see 
signs  and  wonders,  or  they  will  not  believe.  Some  have 
said  in  their  heart,  "  T  must  feel  deep  horror  of  soul,  or  I 
never  will  believe  in  Jesus."  But  what  if  you  never  should 
feel  it,  as  probably  you  never  may  ?  Will  you  go  to  hell  out 
of  spite  against  God,  because  He  will  not  treat  you  like  an- 
other r  One  has  said  to  himself,  "  If  I  had  a  dream,  or  if  I 
could  feel  a  sudden  shock  of  I  know  not  what,  then  I  would 
believe."  Thus  you  undeserving  mortals  dream  that  my 
Lord  is  to  be  dictated  to  by  you !  You  are  beggars  at  His 
gate,  asking  for  mercy,  and  you  must  needs  draw  up  rules 
and  regulations  as  to  how  He  shall  give  that  mercy.  Think 
you  that  He  will  submit  to  this  ?  My  Master  is  of  a  gener- 
ous spirit,  but  He  has  a  right  royal  heart ;  He  spurns  all  dic- 
tation, and  maintains  His  sovereignty  of  action.  Why,  dear 
reader,  if  such  be  your  case,  do  you  crave  for  signs  and  won- 
ders ?  Is  not  the  gospel  its  own  sign  and  wonder  ?  Is  not 
this  a  miracle  of  miracles,  that  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that 
He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  tliat  whosoever  believeth  in 
Him  might  not  perish  "  ?  Surely  that  precious  word,  "  Who- 
soever will,  let  him  come  and  take  the  water  of  life  freel3%" 
and  that  solemn  promise,  "  Him  that  cometh  unto  Me,  I  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out,"  are  better  than  signs  and  wonders  !  A 
truthful  Saviour  ought  to  be  believed.  He  is  truth  itself. 
Why  will  you  ask  proof  of  the  veracity  of  one  who  cannot 
lie  ?  The  devils  themselves  declared  Him  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  ,  will  you  mistrust  Him  ? 


Sept.  3.  EVENING   HEADINGS.  249 

"  The  Lord  trieth  the  righteotis."  —  Psalm  xi.  5. 

-LL  events  are  under  the  control  of  Providence  ;  con- 
}^  sequcntly  all  the  trials  of  our  outward  life  are  trace- 
''^^  able  at  once  to  the  great  First  Cause.  Out  of  the 
golden  gate  of  God's  ordinance  the  armies  of  trial  march 
forth  in  array,  cl.»d  in  their  iron  armor,  and  armed  with 
■weapons  of  war.  All  providences  are  doors  to  trial.  Even 
our  mercies,  like  roses,  have  their  thorns.  Men  may  be 
drowned  in  seas  of  prosperity  as  well  as  in  rivers  of  affliction. 
Our  mountains  are  not  too  high,  and  our  valleys  are  not  too 
low,  for  temptations  :  trials  lurk  on  all  roads.  Everywhere, 
above  and  beneath,  we  are  beset  and  surrounded  with  dan- 
gers. Yet  no  shower  falls  unpermitted  from  the  threatening 
cloud  ;  every  drop  has  its  order  ere  it  hastens  to  the  earth. 
The  trials  which  come  from  God  are  sent  to  prove  and 
strengthen  our  graces,  and  so  at  once  to  illustrate  the  power 
of  divine  grace,  to  test  the  genuineness  of  our  virtues,  and 
to  add  to  their  energy.  Our  Lord,  in  His  inflnite  wisdom  and 
superabundant  love,  sets  so  high  a  value  upon  Uis  people's 
faith,  that  He  will  not  screen  them  from  those  trials  by  which 
faith  is  strengthened.  You  would  never  have  possessed  the 
precious  faith  which  now  supports  you  if  the  trial  of  your 
faith  had  not  been  like  unto  fire.  You  are  a  tree  that  never 
would  have  rooted  so  well  if  the  wind  had  not  rocked  you  to 
and  fro,  and  made  you  take  firm  hold  upon  the  precious 
truths  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  Worldly  ease  is  a  great  foe 
to  faith;  it  loosens  the  joints  of  holy  valor,  and  snaps  the 
sinews  of  sacred  courage.  The  balloon  never  rises  until  the 
cords  are  cut ;  affliction  doth  this  sharp  service  for  believing 
souls.  While  the  wheat  sleeps  comfortably  in  the  husk  it  is 
useless  to  man ;  it  must  be  threshed  out  of  its  resting-place 
before  its  value  can  be  known.  Thus  it  is  well  that  Jehovah 
trieth  ths  righteous,  for  it  causes  them  to  grow  rich  towar  la 
God. 


250  ETENING   READINGS.  Sept.  4, 

"JuM  balances,  just  weights,  a  jtist  ephaJi,  and  a  just  kin,  shall  yt 
have"  —  Leviticus  xix.  36. 


JI^JEIGHTS,  and  scales,  and  measures,  were  to  be  all  ac- 
!^izk/i  cording  to  the  standard  of  justice.  Surely  no  Chris- 
**^  tian  man  will  need  to  be  reminded  of  this  in  his  busi- 
ness, for  if  righteousness  were  banished  from  all  the  world 
beside,  it  should  find  a  shelter  in  believing  hearts.  There 
are,  however,  other  balances  which  weigh  moral  and  spiritual 
things,  and  these  often  need  examining.  We  will  call  in  the 
officer  to-night. 

The  balances  in  which  we  weigh  our  own  and  other  men's 
characters,  are  they  quite  accurate  ?  Do  we  not  turn  our  own 
ounces  of  goodness  into  pounds,  and  other  persons'  bushels 
of  excellence  into  pecks  ?  See  to  weights  and  measures  here. 
Christian.  The  scales  in  which  we  measure  our  trials  and 
troubles,  are  they  according  to  standard  ?  Paul,  who  had 
more  to  suffer  than  we  have,  called  his  afflictions  light,  and 
yet  we  often  consider  ours  to  be  heavy  —  surely  something 
must  be  amiss  with  the  weights  !  We  must  see  to  this  mat- 
ter, lest  we  get  reported  to  the  court  above  for  unjust  dealing. 
Those  weights  with  which  we  measure  our  doctrinal  belief, 
are  they  quite  fair  ?  The  doctrines  of  grace  should  have  the 
same  weight  with  us  as  the  precepts  of  the  word,  no  more 
and  no  less ;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  that  with  many  one  scale 
or  the  other  is  unfairly  weighted.  It  is  a  grand  matter  to  give 
just  measure  in  truth.  Christian,  be  careful  here.  Those 
measures  in  which  we  estimate  our  obligations  and  responsi- 
bilities look  rather  small.  When  a  rich  man  gives  no  more  to 
the  cause  of  God  than  the  poor  contribute,  is  that  a  just  ephah 
and  a  just  hin  ?  When  ministers  are  half  starved,  is  that  hon- 
est dealing  ?  When  the  poor  are  despised,  while  ungodly  rich 
men  are  held  in  admiration,  is  that  a  just  balance  ?  Reader, 
wo  might  lengthen  the  list,  but  we  prefer  to  leave  it  as  youi 
evening's  work  to  find  out  and  destroy  all  unrighteous  bal- 
ances, weights,  and  '■measures. 


Sept.    5.  EVENING    READINGS.  251 

"  Ilast  thou  entered  into  the  springs  of  the  aea?" 
Job  XXXV  iii.  16. 

S^Ji^oJOME  things  in  nature  must  remain  a  mystery  to  the 
foSll'l  nio'^t  intelligent  and  enterprising  investigators.  Hu- 
'^'^'"^  nian  knowledge  has  bounds  beyond  which  it  cannot 
pass.  Universal  knowledge  is  for  God  alone.  If  this  be  so 
in  the  things  which  are  seen  and  temporal,  I  may  rest  as. 
sured  that  it  is  even  more  so  in  matters  spiritual  and  eter- 
nal. Why  then  have  I  been  torturing  my  brain  with  specu- 
lations as  to  destiny  and  will,  fixed  fate,  and  human  responsi- 
bility ?  These  deep  and  dark  truths  I  am  no  more  able  to 
comprehend  than  to  find  out  the  depth  which  coucheth  be- 
neath, from  which  old  ocean  draws  her  watery  stores.  Why 
am  I  so  curious  to  know  the  reason  of  my  Lord's  provi- 
dences, the  motive  of  His  actions,  the  design  of  His  visita- 
tions ?  Shall  I  ever  be  able  to  clasp  the  sun  in  my  fist,  and 
hold  the  universe  in  my  palm  ?  yet  these  are  as  a  drop  of  a 
bucket  compared  with  the  Lord  my  God.  Let  me  not  strive 
to  understand  the  infinite,  but  spend  my  strength  in  love. 
What  I  cannot  gain  by  intellect  I  can  possess  by  aflection  ; 
and  let  that  suflSce  me.  I  cannot  penetrate  the  heart  of  the 
sea,  but  I  can  enjoy  the  healthful  breezes  wbich  sweep  over 
its  bosom,  and  I  can  sail  over  its  blue  waves  with  propitious 
winds.  If  I  could  enter  the  springs  of  the  sea,  the  feat 
would  serve  no  useful  purpose  either  to  myself  or  others  ;  it 
wc'ild  not  save  the  sinking  bark,  or  give  back  tht  drowned 
mariner  to  his  weeping  wife  and  children  ;  neither  would 
my  solving  deep  mysteries  avail  me  a  single  whii  for  the 
least  love  to  God,  and  the  simplest  act  of  obedienc  \o  Him, 
are  better  than  the  profoundest  knowledge.  My  T'ord,  1 
leave  the  infinite  to  Thee,  and  pray  Thee  to  put  far  frim  ma 
such  a  love  for  the  tree  of  knowledge  as  might  keep  ma  <Vnnj 
the  tree  of  life. 


2o2  EVENING    READINGS.  Sept.  6> 

"7/'  ye  he  led  of  the  Spirit,  ye  are  not  under  the  law." 
Galatians  v.  18. 


P^jpE  who  looks  at  his  own  character  and  position  from 


Vi  a  legal  point  of  view,  will  not  only  despair  when  he 


comes  to  the  end  of  his  reckoning,  but  if  he  be  a 
wise  man  he  will  despair  at  the  beginning  ;  for  if  we  are  to 
be  judged  on  the  footing  of  the  law,  there  shall  no  flesh  liv- 
ing be  justified.  How  blessed  to  know  that  we  dwell  in  the 
domains  of  grace,  and  not  of  law !  When  thinking  of  my 
state  before  God,  the  question  is  not,  "  Am  I  perfect  in  my- 
self before  the  law  ?  "  but,  "  Am  I  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus  ?" 
That  is  a  very  different  matter.  We  need  not  inquire,  "Am 
I  without  sin  naturally  ?  "  but,  "  Have  I  been  washed  in  the 
fountain  opened  for  sin  and  for  unclcanness  ? "  It  is  not, 
"  Am  I  in  myself  well-pleasing  to  God  ?  "  but  it  is,  "  Am  I 
accepted  in  the  Beloved  ?  "  The  Christian  views  his  evi- 
dences from  the  top  of  Sinai,  and  grows  alarmed  concerning 
his  salvation  ;  it  were  better  far  if  he  read  his  title  by  the 
light  of  Calvary.  "  Why,"  saith  he,  "  my  faith  has  unbelief 
in  it;  it  is  not  able  to  save  me."  Suppose  he  had  considered 
the  object  of  his  faith  instead  of  his  faith,  then  he  would  have 
said,  "  There  is  no  failure  in  Him,  and  therefore  I  am  safe." 
He  sighs  over  his  hope  :  "  Ah !  my  hope  is  marred  and 
dimmed  by  an  anxious  carefulness  about  present  things ; 
how  can  I  be  accepted  ?  "  Had  he  regarded  the  ground  of 
his  hope,  he  would  have  seen  that  the  promise  of  God  stand- 
eth  sure,  and  that  whatever  our  doubts  may  be,  the  oath  and 
promise  never  fail.  Ah  !  believer,  it  is  safer  always  for  you 
lo  be  led  of  the  Spirit  into  gospel  liberty  than  to  wear  legal 
fetters.  Judge  yourself  at  what  Christ  is  rather  than  at  what 
you  are.  Satan  will  try  to  mar  your  peace  by  reminding  you 
of  your  sinfulness  and  imperfections  :  you  can  only  meet  his 
accusations  by  faithfully  adhering  to  the  gospel  and  refusing 
to  wear  the  yoke  of  bondage. 


Sec*.   7.  EVENINO    READINGS.  253 


"  lliere  is  sorrow  on  the  sea ;  it  cannot  be  quiet." — Jer  xlix.  23. 

3,^n^TTLE  know  we  what  sorrow  inay  be  upon  the  sea  at 
'^1  tliis  moment.  We  are  safe  in  our  quiet  chamber,  but 
'■"^-^^^  far  away  on  the  salt  sea  the  hurricane  may  be  cruelly 
Becking  for  the  lives  of  men.  Hear  how  the  death  fiends  howl 
among  the  cordage ;  how  every  timber  starts  as  the  waves 
beat  like  battering-rams  upon  the  vessel !  God  help  you, 
poor,  drenched,  and  wearied  ones  !  My  prayer  goes  up  to 
the  great  Lord  of  sea  and  land,  that  He  will  make  the  storm 
a  calm,  and  bring  you  to  your  desired  haven  !  Nor  ought  I 
to  oflFt-r  prayer  alone  ;  I  should  try  to  benefit  those  hardy  men 
who  risk  their  lives  so  constantly.  Have  I  ever  done  any- 
thing for  them  ?  What  can  I  do  ?  How  often  does  the  bois- 
terous sea  swallow  up  the  mariner !  Thousands  of  corpses 
lie  where  pearls  lie  deep.  There  is  death-sorrow  on  the  sea, 
which  is  echoed  in  the  long  wail  of  widows  and  orphans. 
The  salt  of  the  sea  is  in  many  eyes  of  mothers  and  wives. 
Remorseless  billows,  ye  have  devoured  the  love  of  women  and 
the  stay  of  hou.seholds.  What  a  resurrection  shall  there  be 
from  the  caverns  of  the  deep  when  the  sea  gives  up  her  dead  ! 
Till  then  there  will  be  sorrow  on  the  sea.  As  if  in  sympathy 
with  the  woes  of  earth,  the  sea  is  forever  fretting  along  a 
thousand  shores,  wailing  with  a  sorrowful  cry  like  her  own 
birds,  booming  with  a  hollow  crash  of  unrest,  raving  with  up- 
roarious discont'ent,  chafing  with  hoarse  wrath,  or  jangling 
with  the  voices  often  thousand  murmuring  pebbles.  The  roar 
of  the  sea  may  be  joyous  to  a  rejoicing  spirit,  but  to  the  sou 
of  sorrow,  the  wide,  wide  ocean  is  even  more  forlorn  than 
the  wide,  wide  world.  This  is  not  our  rest,  and  the  restless 
billows  tell  us  so.  There  is  a  land  where  there  is  no  more 
Sea  —  our  faces  are  steadfastly  set  towards  it;  we  are  going 
to  the  place  of  which  the  Lord  hath  spoken.  Till  then,  we 
cast  our  sorrows  on  the  Lord,  who  trod  the  sea  of  old,  and  who 
inaketh  a  way  for  His  people  through  the  depths  thereof. 
22 


254  EVENING    EEADINGS.  Sept.   8. 

''  The  exceeding  greatness  of  His  power  to  us-ward  wTio  believe,  ac- 
mording  to  the  working  of  His  mighty  power,  which  He  wrought 
in  Christ,  when  He  raised  Him  from  the  dead."  —  Eph.  i.  19,  20. 

^2^5JfN  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  in  our  salvation,  therf 
vv3^"' I  »^  was  put  forth  nothing  short  of  a  divine  power.  What 
v/^^^  shall  we  say  of  t!  ose  who  think  that  conversion  ia 
wrought  by  the  free  will  of  man,  and  is  due  to  his  own  bet- 
terness  of  disposition  ?  When  we  shall  see  the  dead  rise 
from  the  grave  by  their  own  power,  tlten  may  we  expect  to 
see  ungodly  sinners  of  their  own  free  will  turning  to  Christ. 
It  is  not  the  word  preached,  nor  the  word  read  in  itself;  all 
quickening  power  proceeds  from  the  Holy  Ghost.  This 
power  was  irresistible.  All  the  soldiers  and  the  high  priests 
could  not  keep  the  body  of  Christ  in  the  tomb;  Death  him- 
self could  not  hold  Jesus  in  his  bonds  :  even  thus  irresistible 
is  the  power  put  forth  in  the  believer  when  he  is  raised  to 
newness  of  life.  No  sin,  no  corruption,  no  devils  in  hell, 
nor  sinners  upon  earth,  can  stay  the  hand  of  God's  grace 
when  it  intends  to  convert  a  man.  If  God  omnipotently 
says,  "Thou  shalt,"  man  shall  not  say,  "I  will  not."  Ob- 
serve that  the  power  which  raised  Christ  from  the  dead  was 
glorious.  It  reflected  honor  upon  God,  and  wrought  dismay 
in  the  hosts  of  evil.  So  there  is  great  glory  to  God  in  the 
conversion  of  every  sinner.  It  was  everlasting  power.  "  Christ, 
being  raised  from  the  dead,  dieth  no  more ;  death  hath  n^ 
more  dominion  over  Him."  So  we,  being  raised  from  the 
dead,  go  not  back  to  our  dead  works,  nor  to  our  old  corrup- 
tions, but  we  live  unto  God.  "  Because  He  lives  we  live 
also."  "  For  we  are  dead,  and  our  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God  "  "  Like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness 
of  life."  Lastly,  in  the  text  mark  the  union  of  the  new  life  to 
Jesus.  The  same  power  which  raised  the  Head  works  life  in 
the  members.  What  a  blessing  to  be  quickened  together 
with  Christ ! 


Sept.  9.  EVENING    READINGS.  255 

"  And  round  about  the  throne  were  four  and  ticenty  seats :  and  upon 
the  seats  T  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting,  clnthed  in  white 
raiment."  —  Revelation  iv.  4. 


some  render  it  "  a  round  table."  From  this,  some  expositors, 
I  think,  without  straining  the  text,  have  said,  "  There  is  an 
equality  among  the  saints."  That  idea  is  conveyed  by  tbe 
equal  nearness  of  the  four  and  twenty  elders.  The  condition 
of  glorified  spirits  in  heaven  is  that  of  nearness  to  Christ, 
clear  vision  of  His  glory,  constant  access  to  His  court,  and 
familial  fellowship  with  His  person  :  nor  is  there  any  differ- 
ence in  this  respect  between  one  saint  and  another,  but  all 
the  people  of  God,  apostles,  martyrs,  ministers,  or  private 
and  obscure  Christians,  shall  all  be  seated  near  the  throne, 
where  they  shall  forever  gaze  upon  their  exalted  Lord,  and 
bo  satisfied  with  His  love.  They  shall  all  be  near  to  Christ, 
all  ravished  with  His  love,  all  eating  and  drinking  at  the  same 
table  with  Him,  all  equally  beloved  as  His  favorites  and 
friends,  even  if  not  all  equally  rewarded  as  servants. 

Let  believers  on  earth  imitate  the  saints  in  heaven  in  theii 
nearness  to  Christ.  Let  us  on  earth  be  as  the  elders  are  in 
heaven,  sitting  around  the  throne.  May  Christ  be  the  object 
of  our  thoughts,  the  centre  of  our  lives.  How  can  we  endure 
to  live  at  such  a  distance  from  our  Beloved  ?  Lord  Jesu, 
draw  us  nearer  to  Thyself!  Say  unto  us,  "Abide  in  Me, 
ind  I  in  you ; "  and  permit  us  to  sing,  "  His  left  hand  ig 
inder  my  head,  and  His  right  hand  doth  embrace  me." 

Oh,  lift  me  higher,  nearer  Thee, 

And  as  I  rise  more  pure  and  meet. 
Oh,  let  my  soul's  humility 

Make  me  lie  lower  at  Thy  feet; 
Leas  trustiug  self,  the  more  I  prove 
The  blessed  comfort  of  Thy  lore. 


256  EVENING  READINGS.  Sept.  10. 


"  Evening  wolves."  —  Hahakkuk  i.  8. 


il^HlLE  preparing  the  present  volume,  this  particular 
'1'-.^  expression  recurred  to  me  so  frequently,  that  in  ordr.'" 
to  be  rid  of  its  constant  importunity.  I  detcrmiDfl  to 
give  a  page  to  it.  The  evening  wolf,  infuriated  by  a  day  of 
hunger,  was  fiercer  and  more  ravenous  than  he  would  have 
been  in  the  morning.  May  not  the  furious  creature  represent 
our  doubts  and  fears  after  a  day  of  distraction  of  mind,  losses 
in  business,  and  perhaps  ungenerous  tauntings  from  our  fel- 
low-men ?  How  our  thoughts  howl  in  our  ears,  "  Where  ia 
now  thy  God  ?"  How  voracious  and  greedy  they  are,  swal- 
lowing up  all  suggestions  of  comfort,  and  remaining  as  hungry 
as  before  !  Great  Shepherd,  slay  these  evening  wolves,  and 
bid  Thy  sheep  lie  down  in  green  pastures,  undisturbed  by 
insatiable  unbelief.  How  like  are  the  fiends  of  hell  to  even- 
ing wolves  !  for  when  the  flock  of  Christ  are  in  a  cloudy  and 
dark  day,' and  their  sun  seems  going  down,  they  hasten  to 
tear  and  to  devour.  They  will  scarcely  attack  the  Christian 
in  the  daylight  of  faith,  but  in  the  gloom  of  soul  conflict  they 
fall  upon  him.  0  Thou  who  hast  laid  down  Thy  life  for  the 
riheep,  preserve  them  from  the  fangs  of  the  wolf. 

False  teachers  who  craftily  and  industriously  hunt  for  the 
precious  life,  devouring  men  by  their  falsehoods,  are  as 
dangerous  and  detestable  as  evening  wolves.  Darkness  is 
^lieir  element,  deceit  is  their  character,  destruction  is  their 
end.  We  are  most  in  danger  from  them  when  they  wear  the 
sheep's  skin.  Blessed  is  he  who  is  kept  from  them,  for  thou- 
sands are  made  the  prey  of  grievous  wolves  that  enter  within 
the  fold  of  the  church. 

What  a  wonder  of  grace  it  is  when  fierce  persecutors  are 
converted !  for  then  the  wolf  dwells  with  the  lamb,  and  men 
of  cruel,  ungovernable  dispositions  become  gentle  and 
teachable.  0  Lord,  convert  many  such :  for  such  we  will 
pray  to-night. 


Sept.   11.  EVENING    KJiAUINGS.  25  T 

"  Lead  me,  0  Lord,  in  Tliy  righteousnesSi  because  of  mine  ene- 
mics." — Psalm  V.  8. 

^^|^£9ERY  bitter  is  the  enmity  of  the  world  against  the  peo- 
^/(y^  pie  of  Christ.  Men  will  forgive  a  thousand  faults  iu 
'*^'"^  others,  but  they  will  magnify  the  most  trivial  oflFeuco 
in  the  follower  of  Jesus.  Instead  of  vainly  regretting  this, 
let  us  turn  it  to  account,  and  since  so  many  are  watching  for 
our  halting,  let  this  be  a  special  motive  for  walking  very 
carefully  before  God.  If  we  live  carelessly,  the  lynx-eyed 
world  will  soon  see  it,  and  with  its  hundred  tongues  it  will 
spread  the  story,  exaggerated  and  emblazoned  by  the  zeal 
of  slander.  They  will  shout  triumphantly,  "  Aha  !  So  would 
we  have  it !  See  how  these  Christians  act !  They  are  hypo- 
crites, to  a  man  !  "  Thus  will  much  damage  be  done  to  the 
cause  of  Christ,  and  much  insult  offered  to  His  name.  The 
cross  of  Christ  is  in  itself  an  offence  to  the  world  ;  let  us  take 
heed  that  we  add  no  offence  of  our  own.  It  is  "  to  the  Jews 
a  stumbling-block  :  "  let  us  mind  that  we  put  no  stumbling- 
blocks  where  there  are  enough  already.  "  To  the  Greeks  it 
is  foolishness : "  let  us  not  add  our  folly  to  give  point  to  tlie 
scorn  with  which  the  worldly-wise  deride  tie  gospel.  How 
jealous  should  we  be  of  ourselves  !  How  rif'id  with  our  con- 
sciences !  In  the  presence  of  adversaries  who  will  misrepre- 
sent our  best  deeds,  and  impugn  our  motives  where  they 
cannot  censure  our  actions,  how  circumspect  should  we  be  ! 
Pilgrims  travel  as  suspected  portjoos  through  Vanity  Fair. 
Not  only  are  we  under  surveillauce,  but  there  are  more  spies 
than  we  reck  of.  The  espiouLge  is  everywhere,  at  home  and 
abroad.  If  we  fall  into  the  enemies'  hands,  we  may  sooner 
expect  generosity  from  a  wolf,  or  mercy  from  a  fiend,  than 
anything  like  patience  with  our  infirmities  from  men  who 
epice  tlicir  infidelity  towards  God  with  scandals  against  His 
people.  0  Lord,  lead  us  ever,  lest  our  enemies  trip  us  up  j 
22* 


258  EVENING    READINGS.  Sept.   12. 

"  I  xoill  sing  of  mercy  and  judgment."  —  Psalm  ci.  1. 

jf^^^AITH  triumphs  in  trial.  When  Reason  is  thrust  into 
''^  the  inner  prison,  with  her  feet  made  fast  in  the  stocks, 
Faith  makes  the  dungeon  walls  ring  with  her  merry 
notes  as  she  cries,  "  I  will  sing  of  mercy  and  of  judgment. 
Unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  will  I  sing."  Faith  pulls  the  hlack  mask 
from  the  face  of  trouble,  and  discovers  the  angel  beneath. 
Faith  looks  up  at  the  cloud,  and  sees  that 

"  'Tis  h\g  with  mercy  and  shall  break 
In  blessings  on  ber  head." 

There  is  a  subject  for  song  even  in  the  judgments  of  Go  1 
towards  us.  For,  first,  the  trial  is  not  so  heavy  as  it  migl.t 
have  been  ;  next,  the  trouble  is  not  so  severe  as  we  deserved  to 
have  borne  ;  and  our  affliction  is  not  so  crushing  as  the  burden 
which  others  have  to  carry.  Faith  sees  that  in  her  worst  sorrow 
there  is  nothing  penal ;  there  is  not  a  drop  of  God's  wrath 
in  it ;  it  is  all  sent  in  love.  Faith  discerns  love  gleaming  like 
a  jewel  on  the  breast  of  an  angry  God.  Faith  says  of  her 
grief,  "  This  is  a  badge  of  honor,  for  the  child  must  feel  the 
rod  ;  "  and  then  she  sings  of  the  sweet  result  of  her  sorrows, 
because  they  work  her  spiritual  good.  Nay,  more,  says 
Faith,  "  These  light  afflictions,  which  are  but  for  a  moment, 
work  out  for  me  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory."  So  Faith  rides  forth  on  the  black  horse,  conquering 
and  to  conquer,  trampling  down  carnal  reason  and  fleshly 
sense,  and  chanting  notes  of  victory  amid  the  thickest  of  the 
fray. 

"  All  I  meet  I  find  assists  me 
In  my  path  to  heavenly  joy, 
Where,  thoufjh  trials  now  attend  me, 
Trials  never  more  annoy. 

"  Blest  there  with  a  weight  of  glory, 
Still  the  path  I'll  ne'er  forget. 
But,  exulting,  cry,  it  led  me  ^ 

To  my  blessed  Saviour's  seat." 


Bent.  13.  evenino  reidixos.  259 

"  lliia  Man  receiveth  sinners." —  Luke  xv.  2. 

i^jJ^BSERVE  the  condescem'on  of  this  fact.  This  Man 
'  i  who  towers  above  all  other  men,  holy,  harmless,  un- 
deflled,  and  separate  from  sinners  —  this  Man  re- 
ceiveth sinners.  This  Man,  who  is  no  other  than  the  eternal 
God,  before  whom  angels  veil  their  faces  —  this  man  receiv- 
eth sinners.  It  needs  an  angel's  tongue  to  describe  such  a 
mighty  stoop  of  love.  That  any  of  ns  should  be  willing  to  seek 
after  the  lost  is  nothing  wonderful  —  they  are  of  our  own  race  ; 
but  that  He,  the  offended  God,  against  whom  the  transgres- 
sion has  been  committed,  should  take  upon  Himself  the  form 
of  a  servant,  and  bear  the  sin  of  many,  and  should  then  be 
willing  to  receive  the  vilest  of  the  vile,  this  is  marvellous. 

"  This  Man  receiveth  sinners  ;  "  not,  however,  that  they 
may  remain  sinners,  but  He  receives  them  that  He  may  par- 
don their  sins,  justify  their  persons,  cleanse  their  hearts  by 
His  purifying  word,  preserve  their  souls  by  the  indwelling  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  enable  them  to  serve  Him,  to  show  forth 
His  praise,  and  to  have  communion  with  Him.  Into  His 
heart's  love  He  receives  sinners,  takes  them  from  the  dung- 
hill, and  wears  them  as  jewels  in  His  crown  ;  plucks  them  as 
brands  from  the  burning,  and  preserves  them  as  costly  mon- 
uments of  His  mercy.  None  are  so  precious  in  Jesus'  sight 
as  the  sinners  for  whom  He  died.  When  Jesus  receives  sin- 
ners. He  has  not  some  out-of-doors  reception-place,  no  cas- 
ual ward  where  He  charitably  entertains  them  as  men  do 
passing  beggars,  but  He  opens  the  golden  gates  of  His  royal 
heart,  and  receives  the  sinner  right  into  Himself — yea.  He 
admits  the  humble  penitent  into  personal  union,  and  makes 
him  a  member  of  His  body,  of  His  flesh,  and  of  His  bones. 
There  was  never  such  a  reception  as  this  !  This  fact  is  still 
most  sure  this  evening.  He  is  still  receiving  sinners  :  would 
to  God  sinners  would  receive  Him. 


^60  EVENING    KEABINGS.  Sept.  14. 

''  /  acknowledged  my  sin  unto  Thee,  and  mine  iniquity  have  I  noi 
hid.  I  said,  I  will  confess  my  transgressions  unto  the  Lord ; 
and  Thou  for gav  est  the  iniquity  of  my  sin."  —  Psalm  xxxii.  5. 

k^lipi^^AVID'S  giief  for  sin  was  bitter.  Its  effects  were  vis- 
i^  %yi  ible  upon  his  outward  frame  :  "  his  bones  ^\axed 
^^^^  old ;  "  "  his  moisture  was  turned  into  the  drought  of 
summer."  No  remedy  could  he  find  until  he  made  a  full  con- 
fession before  the  throne  of  the  heavenly  grace.  He  tells  us, 
that  for  a  time  he  kept  silence,  and  his  heart  became  more 
and  more  filled  with  grief:  like  a  mountain  tarn  whose  out- 
let is  blocked  up,  his  soul  was  swollen  with  torrents  of  sor- 
row. He  fashioned  excuses,  he  endeavored  to  divert  his 
thoughts,  but  it  was  all  to  no  purpose  ;  like  a  festering  sore 
his  anguish  gathered,  and  as  he  would  not  use  the  lancet  of 
confession,  his  spirit  was  full  of  torment,  and  knew  no  rest. 
At  last  it  came  to  this,  that  he  must  return  unto  his  God  iu 
humble  penitence,  or  die  outright ;  so  he  hastened  to  the 
mercy-seat,  and  there  unrolled  the  volume  of  his  iniquities 
before  the  all-seeing  One,  acknowledging  all  the  evil  of  his 
ways  in  language  such  as  you  read  in  the  fifty-first  and  other 
penitential  Psalms.  Having  done  this,  a  work  so  simple  and 
yet  so  difficult  to  pride,  he  received  at  once  the  token  of  di- 
vine forgiveness ;  the  bones  which  had  been  broken  were 
made  to  rejoice,  and  he  came  forth  from  his  closet  to  sing 
the  blessedness  of  the  man  whose  transgression  is  forgiven. 
See  the  value  of  a  grace-wrought  confession  of  sin  !  it  is  to 
be  prized  above  all  price,  for  in  every  case  where  there  is.  a 
genuine,  gracious  confession,  mercy  is  freely  given,  not  be- 
cause the  repentance  and  confession  deserve  mercy,  but  foi 
Christ's  sake.  Blessed  be  God,  there  is  always  healing  foi 
the  broken  heart ;  the  fountain  is  ever  flowing  (c  cleanse  as 
from  our  sins.  Truly,  0  Lord,  Thou  art  a  Gcd  "  ready  t« 
pardon."     Therefore  wiii  we  acknowledge  our  iniquities 


Sept.  15.  EVENING  EEADINWS.  261 

"  A  people  near  unto  Uim." —  Psalm  cxlviii.  14. 

^^■^IIE  dispensation  of  the  old  covenant  was  that  of  dia- 
^|Ik^7^  tance.  When  God  appeared  even  to  His  servant 
''^^*'*^  Moses,  He  said,  "  Draw  not  nigh  hither  :  put  off  thy 
shoes  from  oflF  thy  feet ;  "  and  when  He  manifested  Himself 
npon  Mount  Sinai  to  his  own  chosen  and  separated  people, 
one  of  the  first  commands  was,  "  Thou  shalt  set  bounds  about 
the  mount."  Both  in  the  sacred  worship  of  the  tabernacle 
and  the  temple,  the  thought  of  distance  was  always  promi- 
nent. The  mass  of  the  people  did  not  even  enter  the  outer 
court.  Into  the  inner  court  none  but  the  priests  might  dare 
to  intrude  ;  while  into  the  innermost  place,  or  the  holy  of 
holies,  the  high  priest  entered  but  once  in  the  year.  It  was 
as  if  the  Lord,  in  those  early  ages,  would  teach  man  that  sin 
was  so  utterly  loathsome  to  Him,  that  He  must  treat  men 
as  lepers  put  without  the  camp  ;  and  when  He  came  nearest 
to  them.  He  yet  made  them  feel  the  width  of  the  separation 
between  a  holy  God  and  an  impure  sinner.  When  the  gospel 
came,  we  were  placed  on  quite  another  footing.  The  word 
"  Go  "  was  exchanged  for  "  Come  ;  "  distance  was  made  to 
give  place  to  nearness,  and  we  who  aforetime  were  afar  oflF, 
were  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  Incarnate 
Deity  has  no  wall  of  fire  about  it.  "  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye 
that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest,"  is 
the  joyful  proclamation  of  God  as  He  appears  in  human  flesh. 
Not  now  does  he  teach  the  leper  his  leprosy  by  setting  him 
•  at  a  distance,  but  by  Himself  suffering  the  penalty  of  his  de- 
filement. What  a  state  of  safety  and  privilege  is  this  near- 
ness to  God  through  Jesus  !  Do  you  know  it  by  experi- 
ence ?  If  you  know  it,  are  you  living  in  the  power  of  it  ? 
Marvellous  is  this  nearness,  yet  it  is  to  be  followed  by  a  dis- 
pensation of  greater  nearness  still,  when  it  shall  be  said, 
"  The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  doth  dweli 
among  them."     Hasten  it,  O  Lord. 


262  ETENING   EEADINOS.  Sept.   1(J. 

"  Am  I  a  sea,  or  a  whale,  that  Tliou  settest  a  watch  over  me  ?  " 
Job  vii.  12. 

[■^HIS  was  a  strange  question  for  Job  to  ask  of  the 
5^0  Lord.  He  felt  himself  to  be  too  insignificant  to  be  so 
strictly  watched  and  chastened,  and  he  hoped  that  he 
was  not  so  unruly  as  to  need  to  be  so  restrained.  The  in- 
quiry was  natural  from  one  surrounded  with  such  insupport- 
able miseries ;  but  after  all,  it  is  capable  of  a  very  humbling 
answer.  It  is  true  man  is  not  the  sea,  but  he  is  even  more 
troublesome  and  unruly.  The  sea  obediently  respects  its 
boundary,  and  though  it  be  but  a  belt  of  sand,  it  does  not 
overleap  the  limit.  Mighty  as  it  is,  it  hears  the  divine  hith- 
erto, and  when  most  raging  with  tempests,  it  respects  the 
word  ;  but  self-willed  man  defies  heaven  and  oppresses  earth, 
neither  is  there  any  end  to  his  rebellious  rage.  The  sea, 
obedient  to  the  moon,  ebbs  and  flows  with  ceaseless  regular- 
ity, and  thus  renders  an  active  as  well  as  a  passive  obedi- 
ence;  but  man,  restless  beyond  his  sphere,  sleeps  within  the 
lines  of  duty,  indolent  where  he  should  be  active.  He  will 
neither  come  nor  go  at  the  divine  command,  but  sullenly  pre- 
fers to  do  what  he  should  not,  and  to  leave  undone  that 
which  is  required  of  him.  Every  drop  in  the  ocean,  every 
beaded  bubble,  and  every  yeasty  foam-flake,  every  shell  and 
pebble,  feel  the  power  of  law,  and  yield  or  move  at  once.  Oh 
that  our  nature  were  but  one  thousandth  part  as  much  con- 
formed to  the  will  of  God  !  We  call  the  sea  fickle  and  false, 
but  how  constant  it  is  !  Since  our  fathers'  days,  and  the  old 
time  before  them,  the  sea  is  where  it  was,  beating  on  the 
same  cliffs  to  the  same  tune  ;  we  know  where  to  find  it ;  it 
forsakes  not  its  bed,  and  changes  not  in  its  ceaseless  boom ; 
but  where  is  man  —  vain,  fickle  man  ?  Can  the  wise  man 
guess  by  what  folly  he  will  next  be  seduced  from  his  obedi- 
ence ?  We  need  more  watching  than  the  billowy  sea,  and  are 
far  more  rebellious.  Lord,  rule  us  for  thine  own  glory.  Ameo 


Sept.   17.  EVEXINO    HEADINGS.  263 

"  Encourage  him."  —  Deuteronomy  i.  38. 

jOD  employs  His  people  to  encourage  one  another. 
He  did  not  say  to  an  angel,  "  Gabriel,  my  servant 
Joshua  is  about  to  lead  ray  people  into  Canaan  — go, 
encourage  him.".  God  never  works  needless  miracles;  if  his 
purposes  can  be  accomplished  by  ordinary  means,  He  will  not 
use  miraculous  agency.  Gabriel  would  not  have  been  half 
so  well  fitted  for  the  work  as  Moses.  A  brother's  sympathy 
is  more  precious  than  an  angel's  embassy.  The  angel,  swift 
of  wing,  had  better  known  the  Master's  bidding  than  the 
people's  temper.  An  angel  had  never  experienced  the  hard- 
ness of  the  road,  nor  seen  the  fiery  serpents,  nor  had  he  led 
the  stiff-necked  multitude  in  the  wilderness  as  Moses  had 
done.  We  should  be  glad  that  God  usually  works  for  man 
by  man.  It  forms  a  bond  of  brotherhood,  and  being  mutu- 
ally dependent  on  one  another,  we  are  fused  more  complete- 
ly into  one  family.  Brethren,  take  the  text  as  God's  mes- 
sage to  you.  Labor  to  help  others,  and  especially  strive  to 
encourage  them.  Talk  cheerily  to  the  young  and  anxious 
inquirer,  lovingly  try  to  remove  stumbling-blocks  out  of  his 
way.  When  you  find  a  spark  of  grace  in  the  heart,  kneel 
down  and  blow  it  into  a  flame.  Leave  the  young  believer  to 
discover  the  roughness  of  the  road  by  degrees,  but  tell  him 
of  the  strength  which  dwells  in  God,  of  the  sureness  of  the 
promise,  and  of  the  charms  of  communion  with  Christ.  Aim 
to  comfort  the  sorrowful,  and  to  animate  the  desponding. 
Speak  a  word  in  season  to  him  that  is  weary,  and  encourage 
those  who  are  fearful  to  go  on  their  way  with  gladness.  God 
encourages  you  by  His  promises ;  Christ  encourages  yoti  as 
He  points  to  the  heaven  He  has  won  for  you,  and  the  Spirit 
encourages  you  as  He  works  in  ycu  to  will  and  to  do  of 
His  own  will  and  pleasure.  Imitate  divine  wisdom,  and  en- 
eourage  others,  according  to  the  word  of  this  evening. 


264  EVENING    READINGS,  Sept.   1ft. 

"  A7id  iliey  follow  .lie."  — John  x.  27. 

,|;S|jE  should  follow  our  Lord  as  unhesitatingly  as  sheep 
Kji  follow  their  shepherd,  for  He  has  a  right  to  lead  «» 
*^  whei-ever  He  pleases.  We  are  not  our  own.  We  are 
bought  with  a  price  —  let  us  recognize  the  eights  of  the  re- 
d^'eming  blood.  The  soldier  follows  his  captain,  the  servant 
obeys  his  master  ;  much  more  must  we  follow  our  Redeem- 
er, to  whom  we  are  a  purchased  possession.  We  are  not 
true  to  our  profession  of  being  Christians  if  we  question  the 
bidding  of  our  Leader  and  Commander.  Submission  is  our 
duty,  cavilling  is  our  folly.  Often  might  our  Lord  say  to  us 
as  to  Peter,  "  What  is  that  to  thee  ?  follow  thou  Me." 
Wherever  Jesus  may  lead  us.  He  goes  before  ws.  If  we  know 
not  where  we  go,  we  know  with  ivhom  we  go.  With  such  a 
companion,  who  will  dread  the  perils  of  the  road  ?  The  jour- 
ney may  be  long,  but  his  everlasting  arms  will  carry  us  to 
the -end.  The  presence  of  Jesus  is  the  assurance  of  eternal 
salvation  ;  because  he  lives,  we  shall  live  also.  We  should 
follow  Christ  in  simplicity  and  faith,  because  the  paths  in 
which  He  leads  us  all  end  in  glonj  and  immortality.  It  is 
ffrue  they  may  not  be  smooth  paths  —  they  may  be  covered 
with  sharp,  flinty  trials  ;  but  they  lead  to  the  "  city  which 
hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God."  "  All 
the  paths  of  the  Lord  are  mercy  and  truth  unto  such  as  keep 
His  covenant."  Let  us  put  full  trust  in  our  Leader,  since 
we  know  that,  come  prosperity  or  adversity,  sickness  oi 
health,  popularity  or  contempt.  His  purpose  shall  be  worked 
out,  and  that  purpose  shall  be  pure,  unmingled  good  to 
every  heir  of  mercy.  We  shall  find  it  sweet  to  go  up  the 
bleak  side  of  the  hill  with  Christ ;  and  when  rain  aud  snow 
blow  into  our  faces.  His  dear  love  will  make  us  far  more 
blest  than  those  who  sit  at  home  and  warm  their  hands  at  the 
■world's  fire.  To  the  top  of  Aniana,  to  the  dens  of  lions,  or  to 
the  hills  of  leopards,  we  will  follow  our  Beloved.  Precious 
Jesus,  draw  us,  and  we  will  run  after  Thee. 


Sept.   19.  EVENING    READINGS.  265 

■"  For  this  child  I  prayed." —  1  Samuel  i.  27. 

^Ijp^^EJVOUT  souls  delight  to  look  upon  those  mercies 
^fwi  ''^liich  they  have  obtained  in  answer  to  supplication, 
^''^^  for  they  can  see  God's  especial  love  in  them.  When 
we  can  name  our  blessings  Samuel,  that  is,  "  asked  of  God," 
they  will  be  as  dear  to  us  as  her  child  was  to  Hannah.  Pe- 
niunah  had  many  children,  but  they  came  as  common  bless- 
ings unsought  in  prayer  :  Hannah's  one  heaven-given  child 
was  dearer  far,  because  he  was  the  fruit  of  earnest  pleadings. 
How  sweet  was  that  water  to  Samson  which  he  found  at  "  the 
well  of  him  that  prayed  !  "  Quassia  cups  turn  all  waters  bit- 
ter, but  the  cup  of  prayer  puts  a  sweetness  into  the  draughts 
it  brings.  Did  we  pray  for  the  conversion  of  our  children  ? 
How  doubly  sweet,  when  they  are  saved,  to  see  in  them  our 
own  petitions  fulfilled  !  Better  to  rejoice  over  them  as  the 
fruit  of  our  pleadings  than  as  the  fruit  of  our  bodies.  Have 
we  sought  of  the  Lord  some  choice  spiritual  gift  ?  When  it 
comes  to  us  it  will  be  wrapped  up  in  the  gold  cloth  of  God's 
faithfulness  and  truth,  and  so  be  doubly  precious.  Have 
we  petitioned  for  success  in  the  Lord's  work  ?  How  joyful 
is  the  prosperity  which  comes  flying  upon  the  wings  of 
prayer  !  It  is  always  best  to  get  blessings  into  our  house  in 
the  legitimate  way  —  by  the  door  of  prayer  ;  then  they  are 
blessings  indeed,  and  not  temptations.  Even  when  prayer 
speeds  not,  the  blessings  grow  all  the  richer  for  the  delay  ; 
the  child  Jesus  was  all  the  more  lovely  in  the  eyes  of  Mary 
when  she  found  Him,  after  having  sought  Him  sorrowing. 
That  which  we  win  by  prayer  we  should  dedicate  to  God,  as 
Hannah  dedicated  Samuel.  The  gift  came  from  heaven,  let 
it  go  to  heaven.  Prayer  brought  it,  gratitude  sang  over  it, 
let  devotion  consecrate  it.  Here  will  be  a  special  occa- 
sion for  saying,  "  Of  Thine  own  have  I  given  unto  Thee." 
Reader,  is  prayer  your  element  or  your  weariness  ? 
Which  * 

23 


266  EVENING    HEADINGS.  Sept.   20. 

"7n  the  evening  witlihold  not  thy  hand."  —  Ecclesiastes  xi.  6. 

J?rN  the  evening  of  the  day  opportunities  are  plentiful  ? 
^  men  return  from  their  labor,  awd  the  zealous  soul- 
"^  winner  finds  time  to  tell  abroad  the  love  of  Jesus. 
Ilave  I  no  evening  work  for  Jesus  ?  If  I  have  not,  let  me 
no  longer  withhold  my  hand  from  a  service  which  requires 
abundant  labor.  Sinners  are  perishing  for  lack  of  knowledge  ; 
be  who  loiters  may  find  his  skirts  crimson  with  the  blood  of 
flouls.  Jesus  gave  both  His  hands  to  the  nails  ;  how  can  1 
keep  back  one  of  mine  from  His  blessed  work  ?  Night  and 
day  He  toiled  and  prayed  for  me ;  how  can  I  give  a  single 
hour  to  the  pampering  of  my  flesh  with  luxurious  ease  ?  Up, 
idle  heart ;  stretch  out  thy  hand  to  work,  or  uplift  it  to 
pray  :  heaven  and  hell  are  in  earnest ;  let  me  be  so,  and  this 
evening  sow  good  seed  for  the  Lord  my  God. 

The  evening  of  life  has  also  its  calls.  Life  is  so  short  that 
a  morning  of  manhood's  vigor  and  an  evening  of  decay  make 
the  whole  of  it.  To  some  it  seems  long,  but  a  fourpence  is 
a  great  sum  of  money  to  a  poor  man.  Life  is  so  brief  that 
no  man  can  aflford  to  lose  a  day.  It  has  been  well  said,  that 
if  a  great  king  should  bring  us  a  great  heap  of  gold,  and 
bid  us  take  as  much  as  we  could  count  in  a  day,  we  should 
make  a  long  day  of  it ;  we  should  begin  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  in  the  evening  we  should  not  withhold  our  hand ; 
lut  to  win  souls  is  far  nobler  work  ;  how  is  it  that  we  so 
^oon  withdraw  from  it  ?  Some  are  spared  to  a  long  evening 
of  green  old  age  ;  if  such  be  my  case,  let  me  use  such  tal- 
ents as  I  still  retain,  and  to  the  last  hour  serve  my  blessed 
and  faithful  Lord.  By  His  grace  I  will  die  in  harness,  and 
lay  down  my  charge  only  when  I  lay  down  my  body.  Age 
may  instruct  the  young,  cheer  the  faint,  and  encourage  the 
desponding  ;  if  eventide  has  less  of  vigorous  heat,  it  should 
have  more  of  calm  wisdom ;  therefore  in  the  evening  I  wiU 
not  withhold  my  hand. 


Sept.   21  EVENING         sADINdd.  2t>7 

^^— ^^— —  '  ^ ' 

"  Oather  not  my  soul  with  sinners."  —  Psalm  xxvi.  9. 

<^|^5EAR  made  David  pray  thus,  for  something  whispered, 
i  JI^  "  l^^rhaps,  after  all,  thou  mayst  be  gathered  with  the 
'^^^^  wicked."  That  fear,  although  marred  by  unbelief, 
springs,  in  the  main,  from  holy  anxiety,  arising  from  the 
recollection  of  past  sin.  Even  the  pardoned  man  will  in- 
quire, "  What  if  at  the  end  my  sina  should  be  remem- 
bered, and  I  should  be  left  out  of  the  catalogue  of  the 
saved  ?  "  He  recollects  his  present  unfruitfulness  —  so  little 
grace,  so  little  love,  so  little  holiness,  and,  looking  forward 
to  the  future,  he  considers  his  weakness  and  the  many  temp- 
tations which  beset  him,  and  he  fears  that  he  may  fall,  and 
become  a  prey  to  the  enemy.  A  sense  of  sin  and  present 
evil,  and  his  prevailing  corruptions,  compel  him  to  pray,  in 
fear  and  trembling,  "  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners." 
Reader,  if  you  have  prayed  this  prayer,  and  if  your  charac- 
ter be  rightly  described  in  the  Psalm  from  which  it  is  taken, 
you  need  not  be  afraid  that  you  shall  be  gathered  with  sin- 
ners. Have  you  the  two  virtues  which  David  had  —  the  out- 
ward walking  in  integrity,  and  the  inward  trusting  in  the 
Lord  ?  Are  you  resting  upon  Christ's  sacrifice,  and  can  you 
compass  the  altar  of  God  with  humble  hope  ?  If  so,  rest 
assured,  with  the  wicked  you  never  shall  be  gathered,  for 
that  calamity  is  impossible.  The  gathering  at  the  judgment 
is  like  to  like.  "  Gather  ye  together  first  the  tares,  and 
bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them  :  but  gather  the  wheat 
into  my  barn."  If,  then,  thou  art  like  God's  people,  thou 
shah  be  with  God's  people.  You  cannot  be  gathered  with 
the  wicked,  for  you  are  too  dearly  bought.  Redeemed  by 
the  blood  of  Christ,  you  are  His  forever,  and  where  He  \h, 
there  mujt  His  people  be.  You  are  loved  too  much  to  bo 
cast  away  with  reprobates.  Shall  one  dear  to  Christ  perish  ? 
Impossible  !  Hell  cannot  hold  thee  !  Heaven  claims  thee  , 
Trust  in  thy  Surety  and  fear  not ! 


268  EVENING  EEADINGS.  Sept.  22. 

"  When  my  heart  is  overwhelmed,  lead  me  to  the  Bock  that  is  higher 
than  7."  —  Psalm  Ixi.  2. 

6|^|^,0ST  of  us  know  what  it  is  to  be  overwhelmed  in  heart ; 
silbl  M  emptied  as  when  a  man  wipeth  a  dish  and  turueth  it 
^^^^^T^  upside  down  ;  submerged  and  thrown  on  our  beam 
ends  like  a  vessel  mastered  by  the  storm.  Discoveries  of 
inward  corruption  will  do  this,  if  the  Lord  permits  the  great 
deep  of  our  depravity  to  become  troubled  and  cast  up  mire 
and  dirt.  Disappointments  and  heart-breaks  will  do  this 
when  billow  after  billow  rolls  over  us,  and  we  are  like  a 
broken  shell  hurled  to  and  fro  by  the  surf.  Blessed  be  God, 
at  such  seasons  we  are  not  without  an  all-sufficient  solace  ; 
our  God  is  the  harbor  of  weather-beaten  sails,  the  hospice 
of  forlorn  pilgrims.  Higher  than  we  are  is  He,  His  mercy 
higher  than  our  sins,  His  love  higher  than  our  thoughts.  It 
is  pitiful  to  see  men  putting  their  trust  in  something  lower 
than  themselves  ;  but  our  confidence  is  fixed  upon  an  ex- 
ceeding high  and  glorious  Lord.  A  Rock  He  is  since  He 
changes  not,  and  a  high  Rock,  because  the  tempests  which 
overwhelm  us  roll  far  beneath  at  His  feet ;  He  is  not  dis- 
turbed by  them,  but  rules  them  at  His  will.  If  we  get  under 
the  shelter  of  this  lofty  Rock,  we  may  defy  the  hurricane  ; 
all  is  calm  under  the  lee  of  that  towering  cliflf.  Alas  !  such 
is  the  confusion  in  which  the  troubled  mind  is  often  cast, 
that  we  need  piloting  to  this  divine  shelter.  Hence  the 
prayer  of  the  text.  0  Lord,  our  God,  by  Thy  Holy  Spirit, 
teach  us  the  way  of  faith,  lead  us  into  Thy  rest.  The  wind 
blows  us  out  to  sea,  the  helm  answers  not  to  our  puny  hand  ; 
Thou,  Thou  alone  canst  steer  us  over  the  bar  between  yon 
sunken  rocks,  safe  into  the  fair  haven.  How  dependent  we 
are  upon  Thee  !  Wc  need  Thee  to  bring  us  to  Thee.  To  be 
wisely  directed  and  steered  into  safety  and  peace,  is  Thy 
gift,  and  Thine  alone.  This  night  be  pleased  to  deal  weU 
with  Thy  servants. 


Sept.  23,  KVENINO  READINGS.  269 


"Jesjis  said  unto  him,  If  thou  canst  believe." —  Mark  ix.  23. 


^*1!^  CERTAIN  man  had  a  demoniac  son,  who  was  af- 
^^11^  flicted  with  a  dumb  spirit.  The  father,  having  seen 
e^:*3^  the  futility  of  the  endeavors  of  the  disciples  to  heal 
his  child,  had  little  or  no  faith  in  Christ,  and  therefore,  when 
he  was  bidden  to  bring  his  son  to  Hira,  he  said  to  Jesus,  "  If 
Thou  canst  do  anything,  have  compassion  on  us,  and  help  us.' 
Now  there  was  an  "  if"  in  the  question,  but  the  poor,  trem- 
bling father  had  put  the  "if"  in  the  wrong  place:  Jesus 
Christ,  therefore,  without  commanding  him  to  retract  the 
'  if,"  kindly  puts  it  in  its  legitimate  position.  "  Nay,  verily," 
lie  seemed  to  say,  "  there  should  be  no  '  if '  about  My  power, 
nor  concerning  My  willingness  —  the  'if  lies  somewhere 
else."  "  If  thou  canst  believe,  all  things  are  possible  to  him 
that  believeth."  The  man's  truslf  was  strengthened,  he  of- 
fered a  humble  prayer  for  an  increase  of  faith,  and  instantly 
Jesus  spoke  the  word,  and  the  devil  was  cast  out,  with  an 
injunction  never  to  return.  There  is  a  lesson  here  which  we 
need  to  learn.  We,  like  this  man,  often  see  that  there  is  an 
"if"  somewhere,  but  we  are  perpetually  blundering  by  put- 
ting it  in  the  wrong  place,  i/ Jesus  can  help  me  —  if  Ha 
can  give  me  grace  to  overcome  temptation  —  if  He  can  give 
me  pardon  —  if  He  can  make  me  successful  ?  Nay,  if  you 
can  believe.  He  both  can  and  will.  You  have  misplaced 
your  "  if."  If  you  can  confidently  trust,  even  as  all  things 
kre  possible  to  Christ,  so  shall  all  things  be  possible  to  you. 
Faith  standeth  in  God's  power,  and  is  robed  in  God's  majes- 
ty ;  It  weareth  the  royal  apparel,  and  rideth  on  the  King'ci 
horse,  for  it  is  the  grace  which  the  King  delighteth  to  honor. 
Girding  itself  with  the  glorious  might  of  the  all-working 
Spirit,  it  becomes,  in  the  omnipotence  of  God,  mighty  to 
do,  to  dare,  and  to  suffer.  All  things,  without  limit,  are 
possible  to  him  that  believeth.  My  soul,  canst  thou  believe 
thy  ]jord  to-niglit  } 
23* 


270  EVENING    READINGS.  Sept.  24. 


I  sleep,  f  I  my  heart  waketh."  —  Solomon's  Song  v.  2. 

PARADOXES  abound  in  Christian  experience,  and 
11  here  is  one  —  the  spouse  was  asleep,  and  yet  she  waa 
f^^^  awake.  He  only  can  read  the  believer's  riddle  who 
has  ploughed  with  the  heifer  of  his  experience.  The  two 
point*  in  this  evening's  text  are  —  a  mournful  sleepiness  and 
'.hopeful  wakefulness.  I  sleep.  Through  sin  that  dwelleth 
n  us  we  may  become  lax  in  holy  duties,  slothful  in  religious 
exercises,  dull  in  spiritual  joys,  and  altogether  supine  and 
careless.  This  is  a  shameful  state  for  one  in  whom  the  quick- 
ening Spirit  dwells  ;  and  it  is  dangerous  to  the  highest  de- 
gree. Even  wise  virgins  sometimes  slumber,  but  it  is  high 
time  for  all  to  shake  off  the  bands  of  sloth.  It  is  to  be 
feared  that  many  believers  lose  their  strength,  as  Samson 
lost  his  locks,  while  sleeping  on  the  lap  of  carnal  security. 
With  a  perishing  world  around  us,  to  sleep  is  cruel ;  with 
eternity  so  near  at  hand,  it  is  madness.  Yet  we  are  none 
of  us  so  much  awake  as  we  should  be  ;  a  few  thunder-claps 
would  do  us  all  good,  and  it  may  be,  unless  we  soon  bestir 
ourselves,  we  shall  have  them,  in  the  form  of  war,  or  pesti- 
lence, or  personal  bereavements  and  losses.  Oh  that  we  may 
leave  forever  the  couch  of  fleshly  ease,  and  go  forth  with 
flaming  torches  to  meet  the  coming  Bridegroom  !  My  heart 
waketh.  This  is  a  happy  sign.  Life  is  not  extinct,  though 
sadly  smothered.  When  our  renewed  heart  struggles  against 
oui  natural  heaviness,  we  should  be  grateful  to  sovereign 
grace  for  keeping  a  little  vitality  within  the  body  of  this 
death.  Jesus  will  hear  our  hearts,  will  help  our  hearts,  will 
visit  our  hearts  ;  for  the  voice  of  the  wakeful  heart  is  really 
the  voice  of  our  Beloved,  saying,  "  Open  to  me."  Holy  zeal 
will  surely  unbar  the  door. 

"  Oh,  lovely  attitude  !    He  stands 
VTith  meltiiif?  heart  aud  laden  hands; 
My  Boul  foreakeB  her  every  sin, 
And  lets  the  heavenly  stranger  In." 


Sept.   25.  EVEMNO    READINGS.  271 

"Who  of  Ond  is  made  unto  us  wisdom."  —  1  Cor.  i.  30. 


|-|> 


■jAN'S  intellect  seeks  after  rest,  and  by  nature  seeks  it 
j^lVlx  apart  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  IMcn  of  education 
are  apt,  even  when  converted,  to  look  upon  the  sim- 
plicities of  the  cross  of  Christ  with  an  eye  too  little  revercnl 
and  loving.  They  are  snared  in  the  old  net  in  which  the  Gre- 
cians wero  taken,  and  have  a  hankering  to  mix  philosophy 
with  revelation.  The  temptation  with  a  man  of  refined  thought 
and  high  education  is  to  depart  from  the  simple  truth  of  Christ 
crucified,  and  to  invent,  as  the  term  is,  a  more  intellectual  doc- 
trine. This  led  the  early  Christian  churches  into  Gnosticism, 
and  bewitched  them  with  all  sorts  of  heresies.  This  is  the 
root  of  Neology,  and  the  other  fine  things  which  in  days  gone 
by  were  so  fashionable  in  Germany,  and  are  now  so  insnar- 
ing  to  certain  clashes  of  divines.  Whoever  you  are,  good 
reader,  and  whatever  your  education  may  be,  if  you  be  the 
Lord's,  be  assured  you  will  find  no  rest  in  philosophizing  di- 
vinity. You  may  receive  this  dogma  of  one  great  thinker,  or 
that  dream  of  another  profound  reasoner,  but  what  the  chaff 
is  to  the  wheat,  that  will  these  be  to  the  pure  word  of  God 
All  that  reason  when  best  guided  can  find  out,  is  but  the 
A  B  C  of  truth,  and  even  that  lacks  certainty,  while  in  Christ 
Jesus  there  is  treasured  up  all  the  fulness  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge.  All  attempts  on  the  part  of  Christians  to  be  con- 
tent with  systems  such  as  Unitarian  and  Broad-church  think 
ers  would  approve  of,  must  fail ;  true  -heirs  of  heaven  must 
come  back  to  the  grandly  simple  reality  which  makes  the 
ploughboy's  eye  flash  with  joy,  and  glads  the  pious  pauper'fl 
heart  —  "Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners." 
Jesus  satisfies  the  most  elevated  intellect  when  He  is  belicv- 
ingly  received,  but  apart  from  Him  the  mind  of  the  regener 
ate  discovers  no  rest.  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  begin- 
ning of  knowledge."  "  A  good  understanding  have  all  thej 
that  do  His  commandments." 


272  ETENING  READINGS.  Sept.  fi6. 

"  Howl,  fir  tree ;  for  the  cedar  is  fallen" —  Zech,  xi.  2. 

^Hj:^_FIEN  in  the  forest  there  is  heard  the  crash  of  a  falling 
kmfi^h  oak,  it  is  a  sign  that  the  woodman  is  abroad,  and 
'^^-'■^  every  tree  in  the  whole  company  may  tremble  lest 
to-morrow  the  sharp  edge  of  the  axe  should  find  it  out.  We 
arc  all  like  trees  marked  for  the  axe,  and  the  fall  of  one 
should  remind  us  that  for  every  one,  whether  great  as  the 
cedar  or  humble  as  the  fir,  the  appointed  hour  is  stealing  on 
apace.  I  trust  we  do  not,  by  often  hearing  of  death,  become 
callous  to  it.  Maj  we  never  be  like  the  birds  in  the  steeple, 
which  build  their  nests  when  the  bells  are  tolling,  and  sleep 
quietly  when  the  solemn  funeral  peals  are  startling  the  air. 
May  we  regard  death  as  the  most  weighty  of  all  events,  and 
be  sobered  by  its  approach.  It  ill  behooves  us  to  sport  while 
our  eternal  destiny  hangs  on  a  thread.  The  sword  is  out  of 
its  scabbard  —  let  us  not  trifle  ;  it  is  furbished,  and  the  edge 
is  sharp  —  let  us  not  play  with  it.  He  who  does  not  prepare 
for  death  is  more  than  an  ordinary  fool,  he  is  a  madman. 
When  the  voice  of  God  is  heard  among  the  trees  of  the  gar- 
den, let  fig  tree  and  sycamore,  and  elm  and  cedar,  alike 
hear  the  sound  thereof. 

Be  ready,  servant  of  Christ,  for  thy  Master  comes  on  a 
sudden,  when  an  ungodly  world  least  expects  Him.  See  to  it 
that  thou  be  faithful  in  His  work,  for  the  grave  shall  soon  be 
digged  for  thee.  Be  ready,  parents  ;  see  that  your  children 
are  brought  up  in  the. fear  of  God,  for  they  must  scon  be  or- 
phans ;  be  ready,  men  of  business,  take  care  that  your  afi'airs 
are  correct,  and  that  you  serve  God  with  all  your  hearts,  for 
the  days  of  your  terrestrial  service  will  soon  be  ended,  and 
you  will  be  called  to  give  account  for  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body,  whether  they  be  good  or  whether  they  be  evil.  May 
we  all  prepare  for  the  tribunal  of  the. great  King  with  a  care 
which  shall  be  rewarded  with  the  gracious  commendatioa, 
'  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant." 


Sept.  27.  •EVENING    RKADINGS.  273 

**  My  Beloved  put  in  Ills  hand  bij  the  hole  of  the  door,  and  my  bow- 
els were  moved  for  Ifiiti."-    Solomon's  Sotig  v.  4. 

ifii/> * NOCKTNO  was  irot  enough,  for  my  heart  was  too  full 
^|\4^  of  sleep,  too  cold  and  ungrateful  to  arise  and  open 


^'^  the  door,  but  the  touch  of  His  effectual  grace  has 
nade  my  soul  bestir  itself.  Oh,  the  long-suffering  of  my 
Beloved,  to  tarry  when  lie  found  Himself  shut  out,  and  me 
asleep  upon  the  bed  of  sloth  !  Oh,  the  greatness  of  His  pa- 
tience, to  knock  and  knock  again,  and  to  add  His  voice  to 
His  knockings,  beseeching  me  to  open  to  Him !  How  could 
I  have  refused  Him  !  Base  heart,  blush  and  be  confounded  ! 
But  what  greatest  kindness  of  all  is  this,  that  He  becomes 
His  own  porter  and  unbars  the  door  Himself!  Thrice  blessed 
is  the  hand  which  condescends  to  lift  the  latch  and  turn  the 
key.  Now  I  see  that  nothing  but  ray  Lord's  own  power  can 
save  such  a  naughty  mass  of  wickedness  as  I  am  ;  ordinances 
fail,  even  the  gospel  has  no  effect  upon  me,  till  His  hand  is 
stretched  out.  Now,  also,  I  perceive  that  His  hand  is  good 
where  all  else  is  unsuccessful ;  He  can  open  when  nothing 
else  will.  Blessed  be  His  name,  I  feel  His  gracious  presence 
even  now.  Well  may  my  bowels  move  for  Him,  when  I  think 
of  all  that  He  has  suffered  for  me,  and  of  my  ungenerous 
return.  I  have  allowed  my  affections  to  wander.  I  have  set 
up  rivals.  I  have  grieved  Him.  Sweetest  and  dearest  of 
all  beloveds,  I  have  treated  Thee  as  an  unfaithful  wife  treats 
her  husband.  Oh,  my  cruel  sins,  my  cruel  self!  What  can 
I  do  ?  Tears  are  a  poor  show  of  my  repentance ;  my  whole 
heart  boils  with  indignation  at  myself.  Wretch  that  I  am, 
to  treat  my  Lord,  my  All  in  All,  my  exceeding  great  joy,  as 
though  He  were  a  stranger.  Jesus,  Thou  forgivest  freely, 
but  this  is  not  enough ;  prevent  ray  unfaithfulness  in  the 
future.  Kiss  away  these  tears,  and  then  purge  my  heart 
and  bind  it  with  sevenfold  cords  to  Thyself,  never  to  wander 
more. 


274  EVENING  HEADINGS.  Sept.  28 


"  Oo  again  seven  times."  —  1  Kings  xviii.  43. 

;j^i^UCCESS  is  certain  when  the  Lord  has  promised  it. 
Although  you  may  have  pleaded  month  after  month 
without  evidence  of  answer,  it  is  not  possible  that  the 
Lord  should  be  deaf  when  His  people  are  earnest  in  a  niaiter 
which  concerns  His  glory.  The  prophet  on  the  top  of  Car- 
mel  continued  to  wrestle  with  God,  and  never  for  a  moment 
gave  way  to  a  fear  that  he  should  be  nonsuited  in  Jehovah'a 
courts.  Six  times  the  servant  returned,  but  on  each  occasion 
no  word  was  spoken  but  "  Go  again."  We  must  not  dreara 
of  unbelief,  but  hold  to  our  faith  even  to  seventy  times  seven 
Faith  sends  expectant  Hope  to  look  from  Carniel's  brow,  and 
if  nothing  is  beheld,  she  sends  again  and  again.  So  far  from 
being  crushed  by  repeated  disappointment.  Faith  is  animated 
to  plead  more  fervently  with  her  God.  She  is  humbled,  but 
not  abashed ;  her  groans  are  deeper,  and  her  sighings  more 
vehement,  but  she  never  relaxes  her  hold  or  stays  her  hand. 
It  would  be  more  agreeable  to  flesh  and  blood  to  have  a 
speedy  answer,  but  believing  souls  have  learned  to  be  sub- 
missive, and  to  find  it  good  to  wait  for  as  well  as  upon  the 
Lord.  Delayed  answers  often  set  the  heart  searching  itself, 
and  so  lead  to  contrition  and  spiritual  reformation ;  deadly 
blows  are  thus  struck  at  our  corruption,  and  the  chambers  of 
imagery  are  cleansed.  The  great  danger  is  lest  men  should 
faint,  and  miss  the  blessing.  Reader,  do  not  fall  into  that 
sin,  but  continue  in  prayer  and  watching.  At  last  the  little 
cloud  was  seen,  the  sure  forerunner  of  torrents  of  rain,  and 
even  so  with  you ;  the  token  for  good  shall  surely  be  given, 
and  you  shall  rise  as  a  prevailing  prince  to  enjoy  the  mercy 
you  have  sought.  Elijah  was  a  man  of  like  passions  with  us  : 
his  power  with  God  did  not  lie  in  his  own  merits.  If  his 
believing  prayer  availed  so  much,  why  not  yours  ?  Plead  the 
precious  blood  with  unceasing  importunity,  and  it  shall  b< 
with  you  according  to  your  desire. 


Sept.   29.  EVENING    READINGS.  275 

"  /  found  IJim  whom  my  soul  loveth  :  I  held  Him,  and  would  not 
let  Ilim  go."  —  Canticles  iii.  4. 

V^.OES  Christ  receive  us  when  we  come  to  Him,  not- 
■^  V  withstanding  all  our  past  sinfulness  ?  Does  He  ncvei 
chide  us  for  having  tried  all  other  refuges  first  ?  And 
is  there  none  on  earth  like  Him  ?  'Is  He  the  best  of  all  the 
good,  the  fairest  of  all  the  fair  ?  Oh,  then  let  us  praise  Him  ! 
Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  extol  Him  with  timbrel  and  harp ! 
Down  with  your  idols,  up  with  the  Lord  Jesus.  Now  let  the 
standards  of  pomp  and  pride  be  trampled  under  foot,  but  let 
(he  cross  of  Jesus,  which  the  world  frowns  and  scoffs  at,  be 
lifted  on  high.  Oh  for  a  throne  of  ivory  for  our  King  Solo- 
mon !  let  Him  be  set  on  high  forever,  and  let  my  soul  sit  at 
His  footstool,  and  kiss  His  feet,  and  wash  them  with  my 
tears.  Oh,  how  precious  is  Christ !  How  can  it  be  that  I 
have  thought  so  little  of  Him  !  How  is  it  I  can  go  abroad 
for  joy  or  comfort  when  He  is  so  full,  so  rich,  so  satisfying  ? 
Feilow-believer,  make  a  covenant  with  thine  heart  that  thou 
wilt  never  depart  from  Him,  and  ask  thy  Lord  to  ratify  it. 
Bid  Him  set  thee  as  a  signet  upon  His  finger,  and  as  a  brace- 
let upon  His  arm.  Ask  Him  to  bind  thee  about  Hioi,  as  the 
bride  decketh  herself  with  ornaments,  and  as  the  bridegroom 
putteth  on  his  jewels.  1  would  live  in  Christ's  heart;  in  the 
clefts  of  that  rock  my  soul  would  eternally  abide.  The  spar- 
row hath  made  a  house,  and  the  swallow  a  nest  for  herself 
where  she  may  lay  her  young,  even  thine  altars,  0  Lord  of 
hosts,  my  King  and  my  God  ;  and  so  too  would  I  make  my 
nest,  my  home,  in  Thee,  and  never  from  Thee  may  the  soul 
of  Thy  turtle  dove  go  forth  again,  but  may  I  nestle  close  to 
Tbee,  0  Jesus,  my  true  and  only  rest. 

"When  my  precious  Lord  I  find, 
All  my  ardent  pH?siou8  glow: 
Him  with  cords  ol  love  I  bind. 
Hold,  and  will  not  let  Him  gc." 


276  EVENING    READINGS.  Sept.   30. 

*'A  living  dog  is  better  than  a  dead  lion." —  Eccl.  ix.  4. 

^l^IFE  is  a  precious  thing,  and  in  its  humblest  form  it  ia 
(y/  ^1  superior  to  death.  This  truth  is  eminently  certain  in 
spiritual  things.  It  is  better  to  be  the  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  than  the  greatest  out  of  it.  The  lowest 
degree  of  grace  is  superior  to  the  noblest  development  of 
nnregcnerate  nature.  Where  the  Holy  Ghost  implants  di- 
vine life  in  his  soul,  there  is  a  precious  deposit  which  none 
of  the  refinements  of  education  can  equal.  The  thief  on  the 
cross  excels  Caesar  on  his  throne ;  Lazarus  among  the  dogs 
is  better  than  Cicero  among  the  senators  ;  and  the  most  un- 
lettered Christian  is  in  the  sight  of  God  superior  to  Plato. 
Life  is  the  badge  of  nobility  in  the  realm  of  spiritual  things, 
and  men  without  it  are  only  coarser  or  finer  specimens  of  the 
)-:ame  lifeless  material,  needing  to  be  quickened,  for  they  are 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins. 

-  A  living,  loving,  gospel  sermon,  however  unlearned  in  mat- 
ter, and  uncouth  in  style,  is  better  than  the  finest  discourse 
devoid  of  unction  and  power.  A  living  dog  keeps  better 
watch  than  a  dead  lion,  and  is  of  more  service  to  his  master ; 
and  so  the  poorest  spiritual  preacher  is  infinitely  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  the  exquisite  orator  who  has  no  wisdom  but  that  of 
words,  no  energy  but  that  of  sound.  The  like  holds  good  of 
our  prayers  and  other  religious  exercises ;  if  we  are  quick- 
ened in  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  are  acceptable  to  God 
through  Jesus  Christ,  though  we  may  think  them  to  be  worth- 
less things ;  while  our  grand  performances  in  which  our 
hearts  were  absent,  like  dead  lions,  are  mere  carrion  in  the 
eight  of  the  living  God.  Oh  for  living  groans,  living  sighs, 
living  despondencies,  ratlier  than  lifeless  songs  and  dead 
calms.  Better  anything  than  death.  The  snarlings  of  the  dog 
of  hell  will  at  least  keep  us  awake,  but  dead  faith  and  dead 
profession,  what  greater  curses  can  a  man  have  ?  Quicken 
us,  quicken  us,  O  Lord ! 


Oct.    1.  EVENING    KEAPINGS.  277 

"  lie  icill  give  grace -and  glory."  —  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  11. 


^fcj^iOUNTEOUS  is  Jehovah  in  His  nature  ;  to  give  is  Ilia 

^  f r^^  deliffht.  His  gifts  are  beyond  measure  precious,  and 
'^^^'^^  are  as  freely  given  as  the  light  of  the  sun.  He  give? 
grace  to  His  elect  because  He  wills  it,  to  His  redeemed  bo- 
cause  of  His  covenant,  to  the  called  because  of  His  promise, 
to  believers  because  they  seek  it,  to  sinners  because  they 
need  it.  He  gives  grace  abundantly,  seasonably,  constantly, 
readily,  sovereignly  ;  doubly  enhancing  the  value  of  the  boon 
by  the  manner  of  its  bestowal.  Grace  in  all  its  forms  He 
freely  i:enders  to  His  people  :  comforting,  preserving,  sanc- 
tifying, directing,  instructing,  assisting  grace  He  generously 
pours  into  their  souls  without  ceasing,  and  He  always  will  do 
so,  whatever  may  occur.  Sickness  may  befall,  but  the  Lord 
will  give  grace ;  poverty  may  happen  to  us,  but  grace  will 
surely  be  afforded  ;  death  must  come,  but  grace  will  light  a 
candle  at  the  darkest  hour.  Reader,  how  blessed  it  is,  as 
years  roll  round,  and  the  leaves  begin  again  to  fall,  to  enjoy 
such  an  unfading  promise  as  this  :  "  The  Lord  will  give  grace." 
The  little  conjunction  and^  in  this  verse,  is  a  diamond  rivet 
binding  the  present  with  the  future  :  grace  and  glory  always 
go  together.  God  has  married  them,  and  none  can  divorce 
them.  The  Lord  will  never  deny  a  soul  glory  to  whom  He 
has  freely  given  to  live  upon  His  grace  ;  indeed,  glory  is 
nothing  more  than  grace  in  its  Sabbath  dress,  grace  in  full 
bloom,  grace  like  autumn  fruit,  mellow  and  perfected.  How 
soon  we  may  have  glory  none  can  tell !  It  may  be  before  this 
month  of  October  has  run  out  we  shall  see  the  Holy  City ; 
but  be  the  interval  longer  or  shorter,  we  shall  be  glorified  ere 
long  Glory,  the  glory  cf  heaven,  the  glory  of  eternity,  the 
glory  of  Jesus,  the  glory  of  the  Father,  the  Lord  will  surel? 
give  to  His  chosen.     Oh,  rare  promise  of  a  faithful  God! 

Two  g-olden  links  of  one  celestial  chain  : 
Wbo  owneth  graco  sball  lurely  glory  gain. 

24 


278  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct  2. 


"A  man  g-reaily  beloved."  —  Daniel  x.  11. 


^/^^^HILJ)  of  God,  do  you  hesitate  to  appropriate  this 
title  ?  Ah  !  has  your  unbelief  made  you  forget  that 
you  are  greatly  beloved  too  ?  Must  you  not  have  been 
greatly  beloved  to  have  been  bought  with  the  precious  blood 
of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot  ? 
When  God  smote  His  only  begotten  Son  for  you,  what  was 
this  but  being  greatly  beloved  ?  You  lived  in  sin,  and  rioted 
in  it ;  must  you  not  have  been  greatly  beloved  for  God  to  have 
borne  so  patiently  with  you  ?  You  were  called  by  grace,  and 
led  to  a  Saviour,  and  made  a  child  of  God  and  an  heir  of 
heaven.  All  this  proves,  does  it  not,  a  very  great  and  supei  - 
abounding  love  ?  Since  that  time,  whether  your  path  has 
been  rough  with  troubles,  or  smooth  with  mercies,  it  has  been 
full  of  proofs  that  you  are  a  man  greatly  beloved.  If  the 
Lord  has  chastened  you,  yet  not  in  anger ;  if  He  has  made 
you  poor,  yet  in  grace  you  have  been  rich.  The  more  un- 
worthy you  feel  yourself  to  be,  the  more  evidence  have  you  that 
nothing  but  unspeakable  love  could  have  led  the  Lord  Jesus 
to  save  such  a  soul  as  yours.  The  more  demerit  you  feel,  the 
clearer  is  the  display  of  the  abounding  love  of  God  in  having 
chosen  you,  and  called  you,  and  made  you  an  heir  of  bliss. 
Now,  if  there  be  such  love  between  God  and  us,  let  us  live  in 
the  influence  and  sweetness  of  it,  and  use  the  privilege  of  our 
position.  Do  not  let  us  approach  our  Lord  as  though  wp 
were  strangers,  or  as  though  He  were  unwilling  to  hear  us  — 
for  we  are  greatly  beloved  by  our  loving  Father.  "  He  that 
spared  not  His  own  Son,  but  delivered  Him  up  for  us  all,  how 
shall  He  not  with  Him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?"  Come 
boldly,  0  believer,  for  despice  the  whisperings  of  Satan  and 
the  doublings  of  thine  own  heart,  thou  art  greatly  beloved. 
Meditate  on  the  exceeding  greatness  and  faithfulness  of  divinfl 
.ove  this  evening,  and  so  go  to  thy  bed  in  peace. 


Oct.  3.  EVENING    READINGS  279 


•*  Be  Himself  hath  sneered  being  tempted." —  Hebrews  ii.  18. 

ITkT  is  a  commonplace  thought,  and  yet  it  tastes  like 
^  nectar  to  the  weary  heart  —  Jesus  was  tempted  as  I 
am.  You  have  heard  that  truth  many  times  :  hava 
you  grasped  it  ?  He  was  tempted  to  the  very  same  sins  iino 
which  we  fall.  Do  not  dissociate  Jesus  from  our  common 
manhood.  It  is  a  dark  room  which  you  are  going  through, 
but  Jesus  wont  through  it  before.  It  is  a  sharp  fight  which 
you  are  waging,  but  Jesus  has  stood  foot  to  foot  with  the 
same  enemy.  Let  us  be  of  good  cheer  —  Christ  has  borne  the 
load  before  us,  and  the  blood-stained  footsteps  of  the  King 
of  glory  may  be  see  i  along  the  road  which  we  traverse  at  this 
hour.  There  is  something  sweeter  yet  —  Jesus  was  tempted, 
but  Jesus  never  sinned.  Then,  my  soul,  it  is  not  needful 
for  thee  to  sin,  for  Jesus  was  a  man,  and  if  one  man  endured 
these  temptations  and  sinned  not,  then  in  His  power  His 
members  may  also  cease  from  sin.  Some  beginners  in  the 
divine  life  think  that  they  cannot  be  tempted  without  sinning, 
but  they  mistake ;  there  is  no  sin  in  being  tempted,  but  there 
is  sin  in  yielding  to  temptation.  Herein  is  comfort  for  the 
sorely-tempted  ones.  There  is  still  more  to  encourage  them 
if  they  reflect  that  the  Lord  Jesus,  though  tempted,  glorious- 
ly triumphed,  and  as  He  overcame,  so  surely  shall  His  fol- 
lowers also,  for  Jesus  is  the  representative  man  for  Hia 
people;  the  Head  has  triumphed,  and  the  members  share  in 
the  victory.  Fears  are  needless,  for  Christ  is  with  us,  armed 
for  our  defence.  Our  place  of  safety  is  the  bosom  of  the 
Saviour.  Perhaps  we  are  tempted  just  now,  in  order  to 
drive  us  nearer  to  Him.  Blessed  be  any  wind  that  blows 
us  into  the  port  of  our  Saviour's  love!  Happy  wounds, 
which  make  us  seek  the  beloved  Physician.  Ye  tempted 
ones,  come  to  your  tempted  Saviour,  for  He  can  be  touched 
with  a  feeling  of  your  infirmities,  and  will  succor  every  tried 
ftnd  tempted  one. 


"iSO  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct.  4. 


"  Jf  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous." —  1  John  ii.  1. 

"  ^Ifi^^-'^  ^°y  ™^°  sin,  we  have  an  advocate."  Yes,  though 
&^ I  »^  we  sin,  we  have  Him  still.  John  does  not  say, 
"If  any  man  sin,  he  has  forfeited  his  advocate," 
but  "  we  have  an  advocate,"  sinners  though  we  arc.  All  Iho 
sin  that  a  believer  ever  did  or  can  be  allowed  to  commit, 
cannot  destroy  his  interest  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  his 
advocate.  The  name  here  given  to  the  Lord  is  suggestive  — 
"  Jesus."  Ah  !  then  He  is  an  advocate  such  as  we  need,  for 
Jesus  is  the  name  of  one  whose  business  and  delight  it  is  to 
save.  They  shall  call  His  name  Jesus,  for  He  shall  save  His 
people  from  their  sins  ;  "  His  sweetest  name  implies  His  suc- 
cess. Next,  it  is  "  Jesus  Christ  "  —  Chrisi  >s,  the  anointed. 
This  shows  His  authority  to  plead.  The  Christ  has  a  right  to 
plead,  for  He  is  the  Father's  own  appointed  advocate  and 
elected  priest.  If  He  were  of  our  choosing  He  might  fail,  but 
if  God  hath  laid  help  upon  one  that  is  mighty,  we  may  safely 
lay  our  trouble  where  God  has  laid  His  help.  He  is  Christ, 
and  therefore  authorized ;  He  is  Christ,  and  therefore  quali- 
fied, for  the  anointing  has  fully  fitted  Hiin  for  His  work.  He 
can  plead  so  as  to  move  the  heart  of  God  and  prevail.  What 
woi'ds  of  tenderness,  what  sentences  of  persuasion,  will  the 
anointed  use  when  He  stands  up  to  plead  for  me  !  One  more 
letter  of  His  name  remains  —  "Jesus  Christ  the  righteous." 
This  is  not  only  His  character,  but  His  plea.  It  is  tlia  char- 
acter, and  if  the  Righteous  One  be  my  advocate,  then  my 
cause  is  good,  or  He  would  not  have  espoused  it.  It  is  His 
plea,  for  He  meets  the  charge  of  unrighteousness  against  me 
by  the  plea  that  He  is  righteous.  He  declares  Himself  my 
substitute,  and  puts  His  obedience  to  my  account.  My  soul, 
thou  nast  a  friend  well  fitted  to  be  thine  advocate  ;  He  <;annot 
but  succeed ;  leave  thyself  entirely  in  His  hands. 


Oct.   fi.  EVENING    READI^GS.  281 

''lie  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  h'  laved."  —  Mark  xvi.  Id 

^R.  jNI ACDONALD  asked  the  inhabitants  of  the  island 
of  St.  Kilda  how  a  man  must  be  saved.     An  old  man 


replied^  "  We  shall  be  saved  if  we  repent,  and  forsake 
our  sins,  and  turn  to  God."  "Yes,"  said  a  middle-age  J 
female,  "  and  with  a  true  heart  too."  "  Ay,"  rajoined  a 
third,  "  and  with  prayer  ;  "  and  added  a  fourth,  "  It  must  be 
!:he  prayer  of  the  heart."  "  And  we  must  be  diligent  too," 
said  a  fifth,  "  in  keeping  the  commandments."  Thus,  each 
having  contributed  his  mite,  feeling  that  a  very  decent  creed 
had  been  made  up,  they  all  looked  and  listened  for  the  preach- 
er's approbation,  but  they  had  aroused  his  deepest  pity.  The 
carnal  mind  always  maps  out  for  itself  a  way  in  which  self 
can  work  and  become  great,  but  the  Lord's  way  is  quite  the 
reverse.  Believing  and  being  baptized  are  no  matters  of 
merit  to  be  gloried  in  —  they  are  so  simple  that  boasting  is 
excluded,  and  free  grace  bears  the  palm.  It  may  be  that  the 
reader  is  unsaved  —  what  is  the  reason?  Do  you  think  the 
way  of  salvation  as  laid  down  in  the  text  to  be  dubious  ? 
How  can  th::t  bo  when  God  has  pledged  His  own  word  for 
its  certainty  ?  Do  you  think  it  too  easy  ?  Why  then  do  you 
not  attend  to  it?  Its  ease  leaves  those  \\\thout  excuse  who 
neglect  it.  To  believe  is  simply  to  trust,  to  depend,  to  rely 
upon  Christ  Jesus.  To  be  baptized  is  to  submit  to  the  ordi- 
nance which  our  Lord  fulfilled  at  Jordan,  to  w'noh  the  con- 
verted ones  submitted  at  Pentecost,  to  which  the  yi.  er  yield- 
ed obedience  the  very  night  of  his  conversion.  The  outward 
sign  saves  not,  but  it  sets  forth  to  us  car  death,  bu  rial,  and 
resurrection  with  Jesus,  and  lik<.  the  Lord's  Supper,  is  uot 
to  be  neglected.  Keadcr,  do  you  believe  in  Jesus  ?  Then, 
dear  friend,  dismiss  your  fears;  you  shall  be  saved.  Are 
you  still  an  unbeliever  ?  then  remember  there  'is  but  one 
dooi,  tad  if  you  will  not  entei  by  it  you  will  perish  in  youf 
rtius. 

24* 


282  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct.  6. 

"  He  had  mairicd  an  Ethiopian  woman."  —  Numbers  xii.  1. 

;^^i:^TRANGE  choice  of  Moses,  but  how  much  more  stransre 
^V^|/  the  choice  of  Him  who  is  a  prophet  like  unto  Moses, 
^^^^  and  greater  than  he  !  Our  Lord,  who  is  fair  as  the 
lily,  has  entered  into  marriage  union  with  one  who  confesses 
herself  to  be  black,  because  the  sun  has  looked  upon  her. 
It  is  the  wonder  of  angels  that  the  love  of  Jesus  should  be 
ijet  upon  poor,  lost,  guilty  men.  Each  believer  must,  when 
filled  with  a  sense  of  Jesus'  love,  be  also  overwhelmed  with 
astonishment  that  such  love  should  be  lavished  on  an  object 
r.o  utterly  unworthy  of  it.  Knowing  as  we  do  our  secret 
^juiltiuess,  unfaithfulness,  and  black-heartedness,  we  are  dis- 
solved in  grateful  admiration  of  the  matchless  freeness  and 
sovereignty  of  grace.  Jesus  must  have  found  the  cause  of 
His  love  in  His  own  heart ;  He  could  not  have  found  it  in 
us,  for  it  is  not  there.  Even  since  our  conversion  we  have 
been  black,  though  grace  has  made  us  comely.  Holy  Ruth- 
erford said  of  himself  what  we  must  each  subscribe  to,  "  His 
relation  to  me  is,  that  I  am  sick,  and  He  is  the  Physician 
of  whom  I  stand  in  need.  Alas  !  how  often  play  I  fast  and 
loose  with  Christ !  He  bindeth,  I  loose  ;  He  buildeth,  I  cast 
down  ;  I  quarrel  with  Christ,  and  He  agreeth  with  me  twenty 
times  a  day  ! "  Most  tender  and  faithful  Husband  of  our 
souls,  pursue  Thy  gracious  work  of  conforming  us  to  Thine 
image,  till  Thou  shalt  present  even  us  poor  Ethiops  untc 
Thyself,  without  spot,  oi  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing.  Mosea 
met  with  opposition  because  of  his  marriage,  and  both  him- 
self and  his  spouse  were  the  subjects  of  an  evil  eye.  Can  we 
wonder  if  this  vain  world  opposes  Jesus  and  His  spouse,  and 
especially  when  great  sinners  are  converted  ?  for  this  is  ever 
the  Pharisee's  ground  of  objection,  "  This  man  receivetl: 
sinners."  Still  is  the  old  cause  of  quarrel  revived,  "  Be- 
cause he  had  married  an  Ethiopian  woman." 


Oct.   7.  EVENING    READINGS.  283 

"  Now  on  whom  dost  thou  trust."  —  Isaiah  xxxvi.  5. 


k'l'-EADEll,  this  is  an  important  question.  Listen  to  the 
Christian's  answer,  and  sec  if  it  is  yours.  "  On 
whom  dost  thou  trust  ?  "  "I  trust,"  says  the  Chris- 
tian, "  in  a  triune  God.  I  trust  the  Father,  believing  that  He 
has  chosen  me  from  before  the  foundations  of  the  world ;  1 
trust  Him  to  provide  for  me  in  providence,  to  teach  me,  to 
guide  me,  to  correct  me  if  need  be,  and  to  bring  me  home  to 
His  own  house,  where  tlie  many  mansions  are.  I  trust  the 
Son.  Very  God  of  very  God  is  He  —  the  man  Christ  Jesus. 
I  trust  in  Him  to  take  away  all  my  sins  by  His  own  sacrifice, 
and  to  adorn  me  with  His  perfect  righteousness.  I  trust 
Him  to  be  my  Intercessor,  to  present  my  prayers  and  desirei 
before  His  Father's  throne,  and  I  trust  Him  to  be  my  Advo- 
cate at  the  last  great  day,  to  plead  my  cause,  and  to  justify 
me.  I  trust  Him  for  what  He  is,  for  what  He  has  done,  and 
for  what  He  has  promised  yet  to  do.  And  I  trust  the  Holy 
Spirit  —  He  has  begun  to  save  me  from  my  inbred  sins ;  I 
trust  Him  to  drive  them  all  out ;  I  trust  Him  to  curb  my 
temper,  to  subdue  my  will,  to  enlighten  my  understanding, 
to  check  my  passions,  to  comfort  my  despondency,  to  help 
my  weakness,  to  illuminate  my  darkness ;  I  trust  Him  to 
dwell  in  me  as  my  life,  to  reign  in  me  as  my  King,  to  sanc- 
tify me  wholly,  spirit,  soul,  and  body,  and  then  to  take  me 
up  to  dwell  with  the  saints  in  light  forever." 

Oh,  blessed  trust !  To  trust  Him  whose  power  will  never 
be  exhausted,  whose  love  will  never  wane,  whose  kindness 
will  never  change,  whose  faithfulness  will  never  fail,  whose 
wisdom  will  never  be  nonplussed,  and  whose  perfect  good- 
ness can  never  know  a  diminution  !  Happy  art  thou,  reader, 
if  this  trust  is  thine  !  So  trusting,  thou  shalt  enjoy  sweet 
peace  now,  and  glory  hereafter,  and  the  foundation  cf  th} 
trust  shall  never  be  removed. 


284  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct.  8. 


"  Praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  —  Jude  20. 


)A.R,K  the  grand  characteristic  of  true  prayer —  "  In 
the  Holy  Ghost."  The  seed  of  acceptable  devotion 
must  come  from  heaven's  storehouse.  Only  the 
prayer  which  comes  from  God  can  go  to  God.  We  must 
shoot  the  Lord's  arrows  back  to  Him.  That  desire  which  He 
writes  upon  our  heart  will  move  His  heart  and  bring  down  a 
blessing,  but  the  desires  of  the  flesh  have  no  power  with  Him. 
Praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost  is  praying  in  fervency.  Cold 
prayers  ask  the  Lord  not  to  hear  them.  Those  who  do  not 
plead  with  fervency,  plead  not  at  all.  As  well  speak  of  luke- 
warm fire  as  of  lukewarm  prayer  —  it  is  essential  that  it  be 
red-hot.  It  is  praying  perseveringly.  The  true  suppliant 
gathers  force  as  he  proceeds,  and  grows  more  fervent  when 
God  delays  to  answer.  The  longer  the  gate  is  closed,  the 
more  vehemently  does  he  use  the  knocker,  and  the  longer 
the  angel  lingers,  the  more  resolved  is  he  that  he  will  never 
let  him  go  without  the  blessing.  Beautiful  in  God's  sight  is 
tearful,  agonizing,  unconquerable  importunity.  It  means 
praying  humbly,  for  the  Holy  Spirit  never  pus's  us  up  with 
pride.  It  is  His  ofl&ce  to  convince  of  sin,  and  so  to  bow  us 
di)wn  in  contrition  and  brokenness  of  spirit.  We  shall  never 
sing  Gloria  in  excelsis  except  we  pray  to  God  De  pro/undis  : 
out  of  the  depths  must  we  cry,  or  we  shall  never  behold  glory 
in  the  highest.  It  is  loving  prayer.  Prayer  should  be  per- 
fumed with  love,  saturated  with  love  —  love  to  our  fellow- 
saints,  and  love  to  Christ.  Moreover,  it  must  be  a  prayer 
full  of  faith.  A  man  prevails  only  as  he  believes.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  the  author  of  faith,  and  strengthens  it  so  that  we 
pray  believing  God's  promise.  Oh  that  this  blessed  combi- 
nation of  excellent  graces,  priceless,  and  sweet  as  the  spices 
of  the  merchant,  might  be  fragrant  within  us  because  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  in  our  hearts  !  Most  blessed  Comforter,  exert 
thy  mighty  power  within  us,  helping  our  infirmities  in  prayer. 


Oct.  9.  EVENING    KEADING8,  285 

•*'  BlU  He  answered  her  rot  a  word."  —  Matthew  xv.  23. 


-FNUINE  seekers,  who  as  yet  have  not  obtained  the 
1)  blessing,  may  take  comfort  from  the  story  before  us, 
^^  The  Saviour  did  not  at  once  bestow  the  blessing, 
even  though  the  woman  had  great  faith  in  Him.  He  intend- 
ed to  give  it,  but  He  waited  a  while.  "  He  answered  her  not 
a  word."  Were  not  her  prayers  good  ?  Never  better  in  the 
world.  Was  not  her  case  needy  ?  Sorrowfully  needy.  Did 
she  not  feel  her  need  sufficiently  ?  She  felf  it  overwhelm- 
ingly. Was  she  not  earnest  enough  ?  She  was  intensely  so. 
Had  she  no  faith  ?  She  had  such  a  high  degree  of  it  that 
even  Jesus  wondered,  and  said,  "  0  woman,  great  is  thy 
faith."  See  then,  although  it  is  true  that  faith  brings  peace, 
yet  it  does  not  always  bring  it  instantaneously.  There  may 
be  certain  reasons  calling  for  the  trial  of  faith,  rather  than 
the  reward  of  faith.  Genuine  faith  may  be  in  the  soul  like  a 
hidden  seed,  but  as  yet  it  may  not  have  budded  and  blos- 
somed into  joy  and  peace.  A  painful  silence  from  the  Sa- 
viour is  the  grievous  trial  of  many  a  seeking  soul,  but  heavi- 
er still  is  the  affliction  of  a  harsh,  cutting  reply  such  as  this : 
"  It  is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's  bread  and  to  cast  it  to 
dogs."  Many  in  waiting  upon  the  Lord  find  immediate  de- 
light, but  this  is  not  the  case  with  all.  Some,  like  the  jailer, 
are  in  a  moment  turned  from  darkness  to  light,  but  othera 
are  plants  of  slower  growth.  A  deeper  sense  of  sin  may  be 
given  to  you  instead  of  a  sense  of  pardon,  and  in  such  a  case 
you  will  have  need  of  patience  to  bear  the  heavy  blow.  Ah  ! 
poor  heart,  thougli  Christ  beat  and  bruise  thee,  or  even  slay 
thee,  trust  Him  ;  though  He  should  give  thee  an  angry  word, 
believe  in  the  love  of  His  heart.  Do  not,  I  beseech  thee, 
give  up  seeking  or  trusting  my  Master  because  thou  hast 
no':  yet  obtained  the  conscious  joy  which  thou  longest  for. 
Cast  thyself  on  Him,  and  perseveringly  append  even  where 
thou  canst  not  rejoicingly  hope. 


286  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct.    IG 

"  And  I  will  deliver  thee  out  of  the  hand  of  the  wicked,  and  I  wiU 
redeem  thee  out  of  the  hand  of  the  terrible."  —  Jer.  xv.  21. 

iOTE  the  glorious  personality  of  the  promise  —  /will, 
/  will.  The  Lord  Jehovah  himself  interposes  to  de- 
liver and  redeem  His  people.  He  pledges  himself 
personally  to  resAie  them.  His  own  arm  shall  do  it,  that  He 
may  have  the  glory.  Here  is  not  a  word  said  of  any  effort 
of  our  own  which  may  be  needed  to  assist  the  Lord.  Neither 
our  strength  nor  our  weakness  is  taken  into  the  account,  but 
the  lone  i,  like  the  sun  in  the  heavens,  shines  out  resplen- 
dent in  all-sufficiency.  Why  then  do  we  calculate  our  forces, 
and  consult  with  flesh  and  blood  to  our  grievous  wounding  ? 
Jehovah  has  power  enough  without  borrowing  from  our  puny 
arm.  Peace,  ye  unbelieving  thoughts,  be  still,  and  know 
that  the  Lord  reigneth.  Nor  is  there  a  hint  concerning  sec- 
ondary means  and  causes.  The  Lord  says  nothing  of  friends 
and  helpers  :  He  undertakes  the  work  alone,  and  feels  no 
need  of  human  arms  to  aid  Him.  Vain  are  all  our  lookings 
around  to  companions  and  relatives  ;  they  are  broken  reeds 
if  we  lean  upon  them  —  often  unwilling  when  able,  and  una- 
ble when  they  are  willing.  Since  the  promise  comes  alone 
from  God,  it  would  be  well  to  wait  only  upon  Him  ;  and 
when  we  do  so,  our  expectation  never  fails  us.  Who  are  the 
wicked,  that  we  should  fear  them  ?  The  Lord  will  utterly 
consume  them  ;  they  are  to  be  pitied  rather  than  feared. 
As  for  terrible  ones,  they  are  only  terrors  to  those  who  have 
no  God  to  fly  to,  for  when  the  Lord  is  on  our  side,"  whom 
shall  we  fear  ?  If  we  run  into  sin  to  please  the  wicked,  wa 
have  cause  to  be  alarmed,  but  if  we  hold  fast  our  integrity, 
the  rage  of  tyrants  shall  be  overruled  for  our  good.  When 
the  fish  swallowed  Jonah,  he  found  him  a  morsel  which  he 
could  not  digest ;  and  when  the  world  devours  the  church, 
it  is  glad  to  be  rid  of  it  again.  In  all  times  of  fiery  trial,  id 
patience  let  us  possess  our  souls. 


Oct.   11.  EVENING    HEADINGS  287 

"  Whom  lie  did  predestinate,  them  Tie  also  called." 
Romans  viii.  30. 

^2^1?rN  the  second  epistle  to  Timothy,  first  chapter  and 
&v I  ^r^  ninth  verse,  are  these  words  —  "  Who  hath  saved  us, 
""^^^  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling."  Now,  here  is  a 
touchstone  by  which  we  may  try  our  calling.  It  is  '*  a  holy 
calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  accordiug  to  His  own 
purpose  and  grace."  This  calling  forbids  all  trust  in  our 
own  doings,  and  conducts  us  to  Christ  alone  for  salvation, 
but  it  afterwards  purges  us  from  dead  works  to  serve  the 
living  and  true  God.  As  He  that  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so 
must  you  be  holy.  If  you  are  living  in  sin  you  are  not 
called,  but  if  you  are  truly  Christ's  you  can  say,  "  Nothing 
pains  me  so  much  as  sin  ;  I  desire  to  be  rid  of  it ;  Lord,  help 
me  to  be  holy."  Is  this  the  panting  of  thy  heart  ?  Is  this 
the  tenor  of  thy  life  towards  God,  and  his  divine  will  ? 
Again,  in  Philippians  iii.  13,  14,  we^  are  told  of  "  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  Is,  then,  your  calling  a  high 
calling  ?  Has  it  ennobled  your  heart,  and  set  it  upon  heav- 
enly things  ?  Has  it  elevated  your  hopes,  your  tastes,  your 
desires  ?  Has  it  upraised  the  constant  tenor  of  your  life,  so 
that  you  spend  it  with  God  and  for  God  ?  Another  test  we 
find  in  Hebrews  iii.  1  —  "  partakers  of  the  heavenly  calling." 
Heavenly  calling  means  a  call  from  heaven.  If  man  alone 
call  thee,  thou  art  uncalled.  Is  thy  calling  of  God  ?  Is  it  a 
call  to  heaven  as  well  as  from  heaven  ?  Unless  thou  art  i 
stranger  here,  and  heaven  thy  home,  thou  hast  not  been  callec 
with  a  heavenly  calling ;  for  those  who  have  been  so  called, 
declare  that  they  look  for  a  city  which  hath  foundations, 
whose  builder  and  maker  is  God,  and  they  themselves  are 
strangers  and  pilgrims  upon  the  earth.  Is  thy  calling  thus 
holy,  high,  heavenly  ?  Then,  beloved,  thou  hast  been  called 
of  God,  for  such  is  the  calling  wherewith  God  doth  call  His 
popple. 


288  EVENING    EEADINGS.  Oct,   12, 

"  The  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost."  —  John  xiv.  26. 

■^HIS  age  is  peculiarly  the  dispeusation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  which  Jesus  cheers  us  not  by  His  personal 
presence,  as  He  shall  do  by  and  by,  but  by  the  in- 
dwelling and  constant  abiding  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  ia 
evermore  the  Comforter  of  the  church.  It  is  His  office  to 
console  the  hearts  of  God's  people.  He  convinces  of  sin ; 
He  illuminates  and  instructs  ;  but  still  the  main  part  of  His 
work  lies  in  making  glad  the  hearts  of  the  renewed,  in  con- 
firming the  weak,  and  lifting  up  all  those  that  be  bowed 
down.  He  does  this  by  revealing  Jesus  to  them.  The  Holy 
Spirit  consoles,  but  Christ  is  the  consolation.  If  we  may 
use  the  figure,  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Physician,  but  Jesus 
is  the  medicine.  He  heals  the  wound,  but  it  is  by  applying 
the  holy  ointment  of  Christ's  name  and  grace.  He  takes  not 
of  his  own  things,  but  of  the  things  of  Christ.  So,  if  we  give 
to  the  Holy  Spirit  the  €rreek  name  of  Paraclete,  as  we  some- 
times do,  then  our  heart  confers  on  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus 
the  title  of  the  Paraclesis.  If  the  one  be  the  Comforter,  the 
other  is  the  Comfort.  Now,  with  such  rich  provision  for 
his  need,  why  should  the  Christian  be  sad  and  desponding  ? 
The  Holy  Spirit  has  graciously  engaged  to  be  thy  Comforter  : 
dost  thou  imagine,  0  thou  weak  and  trembling  believer,  that 
He  will  be  negligent  of  His  sacred  trust  ?  Canst  thou  sup- 
pose that  He  has  undertaken  what  He  cannot  or  will  not  per- 
form ?  If  it  be  His  especial  work  to  strengthen  thee,  and 
to  comfort  thee,  dost  thou  suppose  He  has  forgotten  His 
business,  or  that  He  will  fail  in  the  loving  office  which  He 
sustains  towards  thee  ?  Nay,  think  not  so  hardly  of  the 
tender  and  blessed  Spirit  whose  name  is  "  the  Comforter." 
He  delights  to  give  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the  gar- 
ment of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness.  Trust  thou  in 
Him,  and  He  will  surely  comfort  thee  till  the  house  of  mourn- 
ing is  closed  forever,  and  the  marriage  feast  has  begun. 


Oct.    13.  EVENING    READINGS.  289 


"  Love  is  strong  as  death.**  —  Solomon's  Song  viii.  6 

^f^r^HOSE  love  can  this  be  which  is  as  mighty  as  the  con- 
Mffu-h  queror  of  monarchs,  the  destroyer  of  the  human  race  ? 
^**^^  A¥ould  it  not  sound  like  satire  if  it  were  applied  to 
my  poor,  weak,  and  scarcely  living  love  to  Jesus  ray  Lord  ? 
I  do  love  Him,  and  perhaps,  by  Ilis  grace,  I  could  even  die 
for  Him,  but  as  for  my  love  in  itself,  it  can  scarcely  endure  a 
scoffing  jest,  much  less  a  cruel  death.  Surely  it  is  my  Be- 
loved's love  which  is  here  spoken  of  —  the  love  of  Jesus,  the 
matchless  lover  of  souls.  His  love  was  indeed  stronger  than 
the  most  terrible  death,  for  it  endured  the  trial  of  the  cross 
triumphantly.  It  was  a  lingering  death,  but  love  survived 
the  torment ;  a  shameful  death,  but  love  despised  the  shame  ; 
a  penal  death,  but  love  bore  our  iniquities  ;  a  forsaken,  lone- 
ly death,  from  which  the  eternal  Father  hid  His  face,  but 
love  endured  the  curse,  and  gloried  over  all.  Never  such 
love,  never  such  death.  It  was  a  desperate  duel,  but  love 
bore  the  palm.  What  then,  my  heart  ?  Hast  thou  no  emo- 
tions excited  within  thee  at  the  contemplation  of  such  heav- 
enly aflPection  ?  Yes,  my  Lord,  I  long,  I  pant  to  feel  Thy 
love  flaming  like  a  furnace  within  me.  Come  Thou  Thyself 
and  excite  the  ardor  of  ray  spirit. 

"  For  every  drop  oi  crimson  blood 
Thus  shed  to  mnke  mc  live, 
Oh.  wherefore,  wherefore  have  not  I 
A  thousand  lives  to  give .' " 

"Why  should  I  despair  of  loving  Jesus  with  a  love  as 
stiong  as  death  ?  He  deserves  it:  I  desire  it.  The  mar- 
tyrs felt  such  love,  and  they  were  but  flesh  aud  blood ;  then 
vihy  not  I  ?  They  mourned  their  weakness,  and  yet  out  of 
weakness  were  made  strong.  Grace  gave  them  all  their  un- 
flinching coDitancy  —  there  is  the  same  grace  for  me.  Je- 
sus, lover  of  ray  soul,  shed  abroad  such  love,  even  Thy  lovfl 
in  my  heart,  this  evening, 
2A 


290  ETENING    READINGS.  Oct.    14. 

"And  be  not  conformed  to  this  world."  —  Romans  xii.  2. 

fJI^F  a  Christian  can  by  possibility  be  saved  while  he  con- 
^  forms  to  this  world,  at  any  rate  it  must  be  so  as  by 

■'^^  fire.  Such  a  bare  salvation  is  almost  as  much  to  be 
dreaded  as  desired.  Reader,  would  you  wish  to  leave  this 
world  in  the  darkness  of  a  desponding  death  bed,  and  enter 
heaven  as  a  shipwrecked  mariner  climbs  the  rocks  of  his  na- 
tive country  ''  then  be  worldly  ;  be  mixed  up  witli  Mammon- 
ites,  and  refuse  to  go  without  the  camp  bearing  Christ's  re- 
proach. But  would  you  have  a  heaven  belov?  as  well  as  a 
heaven  above  ?  Would  you  comprehend  with  all  saints  what 
are  the  heights  and  depths,  and  know  the  love  of  Christ  which 
passeth  knowledge  ?  Would  you  receive  an  abundant  en- 
trance into  the  joy  of  your  Lord  ?  Then  come  ye  out  from 
among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  and  touch  not  the  unclean 
thing.  Would  you  attain  the  full  assurance  of  faith  ?  you 
oannot  gain  it  while  you  commune  with  sinners.  Would  you 
flame  with  vehement  love  ?  your  love  will  be  damped  by  the 
drenchings  of  godless  society.  You  cannot  become  a  great 
Christian  —  you  may  be  a  babe  in  grace,  but  you  never  can 
be  a  perfect  man  in  Christ  Jesus  while  you  yield  yourself  to 
the  worldly  maxims  and  modes  of  business  of  men  of  the 
world.  It  is  ill  for  an  heir  of  heaven  to  be  a  great  friend 
with  the  heirs  of  hell.  It  has  a  bad  look  when  a  courtier  is 
too  intimate  with  his  king's  enemies.  Even  small  incon- 
eistencies  are  dangerous.  Little  thorns  make  great  blisters, 
little  moths  destroy  fine  garments,  and  little  frivolities  and 
little  rogueries  will  rob  religion  of  a  thousand  joys.  O 
professor,  too  little  separated  from  sinners,  you  know  not 
what  you  lose  by  your  conformity  to  the  world.  It  cuts  ths 
tendons  of  your  strength,  and  makes  you  creep  where  you 
ought  to  run.  Then,  for  your  own  comfort's  sake,  and  for 
the  sake  of  your  growth  in  grace,  if  you  be  a  Christian,  be  a 
Christian,  and  be  a  marked  and  distinct  one. 


Oct.    15.  EVENING    READINGS.  291 

"  But  the  JirstUng  of  an  ass  thou  shalt  redeem  with  a  lamb  :  ana 
if  thou  redeem  him  not,  then  shalt  thou  break  his  neck."  —  Ex 
odu8  xxxiv.  20. 

fe^^'^aVERY  first-born  creature  must  be  the  Lord's,  but 
yf'*  f>  since  the  ass  was  unclean,  it  could  not  be  presented 
^^*^^  in  sacrifice.  What  then  ?  Should  it  be  allowed  to 
go  free  from  the  universal  law  ?  By  no  means.  God  ad- 
mits of  no  exceptions.  The  ass  is  His  due,  but  He  will  not 
accept  it ;  He  will  not  abate  the  claim,  but  yet  He  cannot  bo 
pleased  with  the  victim.  No  way  of  escape  remained  but 
redemption  — the  creature  must  be  saved  by  the  substitution 
of  a  lamb  in  its  place  ;  or,  if  not  redeemed,  it  must  die.  My 
Boul,  here  is  a  lesson  for  thee.  That  unclean  animal  is  thy- 
self;  thou  art  justly  the  property  of  the  Lord,  who  made 
thee  and  preserves  thee,  but  thou  art  so  sinful  that  God  will 
not,  cannot,  accept  thee  ;  and  it  has  come  to  this,  the  Lamb 
of  God  must  stand  in  thy  stead,  or  thou  must  die  eternally. 
Let  all  the  world  know  of  thy  gratitude  to  that  spotless  Lamb 
who  has  already  bled  for  thee,  and  so  redeemed  thee  from 
the  fatal  curse  of  the  law.  Must  it  not  sometimes  have,  been 
a  question  with  the  Israelite  which  should  die,  the  ass  or  the 
Iamb  ?  Would  not  the  good  man  pause  to  estimate  and  com- 
pare ?  Assuredly  there  was  no  comparison  between  the 
value  of  the  soul  of  man  and  the  life  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
yet  the  Lamb  dies,  and  man  the  ass  is  spared.  My  soul,  ad- 
mire the  boundless  love  of  God  to  thee  and  others  of  the 
human  race.  Worms  are  bought  with  the  blood  of  the  Sou 
of  the  Highest !  Dust  and  ashes  redeemed  with  a  price  far 
ibove  silver  and  gold  !  What  a  doom  had  been  mine  had 
not  plenteous  redemption  been  found  !  The  breaking  of  the 
neck  of  the  ass  was  but  a  momentary  penalty,  but  who  shall 
measure  the  wrath  to  come  to  which  no  limit  can  be  ima- 
giued  :  Inestimably  dear  is  the  glorious  Lamb  who  has  re« 
deemed  us  from  such  a  doom. 


292  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct.    16, 

•'  With  Thee  is  the  fountain  of  life."  —  Psalm  xxxvL  9. 

^j'lIEE.E  are  times  in  our  spiritual  experience  when  hu« 
i^  man  counsel  or  sympathy,  or  religious  ordinances, 
fail  to  comfort  or  help  us.  Why  does  our  gracious 
God  permit  this  ?  Perhaps  it  is  because  we  have  been  liv- 
ing too  much  without  Him,  and  He  therefore  takes  away 
everything  upon  which  we  have  been  in  the  habit  of  depend- 
ing, that  He  may  drive  us  to  Himself.  It  is  a  blessed  thing 
to  live  at  the  fountain  head.  While  our  skin-bottles  are  full, 
we  are  content,  like  Hagar  and  Ishmael,  to  go  into  the  wil- 
derness ;  but  when  those  are  dry,  nothing  will  serve  us  buv; 
"  Thou  God  seest  me."  We  are  like  the  prodigal,  we  love 
the  swine-troughs  and  forget  our  Father's  house.  Remem- 
ber, we  can  make  swine-troughs  and  husks  even  out  of  the 
forms  of  religion  ;  they  are  blessed  things,  but  we  may  put 
them  in  God's  place,  and  then  they  are  of  no  value.  Any- 
thing becomes  an  idol  when  it  keeps  us  away  from  God  : 
even  the  brazen  serpent  is  to  be  despised  as  "  Nehushtan," 
if  we  worship  it  instead  of  God.  The  prodigal  was  never 
safer  than  when  he  was  driven  to  his  father's  bosom,  because 
he  could  find  sustenance  nowhere  else.  Our  Lord  favors  ua 
with  a  famine  in  the  land  that  it  may  make  us  seek  aftei 
Himself  the  more.  The  best  position  for  a  Christian  is  liv- 
ing wholly  and  directly  on  God's  grace  —  still  abiding  where 
he  stood  at  first  —  "having  nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all 
things."  Let  us  never  for  a  moment  think  that  our  standing 
is  in  our  sauctification,  our  mortification,  our  graces,  or  our 
feelings,  but  know  that  because  Christ  offered  a  full  atone- 
Dient,  therefore  we  are  ^aved  ;  for  we  are  complete  in  Him. 
Having  nothing  of  our  own  to  trust  to,  but  resting  upon  the 
merits  of  Jesus  —  His  passion  and  holy  life  furnish  us  with 
the  only  sure  ground  of  confidence.  Beloved,  when  we  arg 
brought  to  a  thirsting  condition,  we  are  surf  to  turn  to  the 
fountain  of  life  with  eagerness. 


Oct.   17.  EVENING    READINGS.  293 


"  He  shall  gather  the  lavihs  with  Jlis  arm." —  Isaiah  xl.  11. 


^IT^UR  good  Shepherd  has  in  His  flock  a  variety  of  expe- 
vr  W^  riences ;  some  are  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  others  ar« 
**^*  ^^  weak  in  faith ;  but  He  is  impartial  in  His  care  for  all 
His  sheep,  and  the  weakest  lamb  is  as  dear  to  Ilim  as  the 
most  advanced  of  the  flock.  Lambs  are  wont  to  lag  behind, 
prone  to  wander,  and  apt  to  grow  weary ;  but  from  all  the 
danger  of  these  infirmities  the  Shepherd  protects  them  with 
His  arm  of  power.  He  finds  new-born  souls,  like  young 
lambs,  ready  to  perish  —  He  nourishes  them  till  life  becomes 
vigorous  ;  He  finds  weak  minds  ready  to  faint  and  die  —  He 
consoles  them  and  renews  their  strength.  All  the  little  ones 
He  gathers,  for  it  is  not  the  will  of  our  heavenly  Father  that 
one  of  them  sljould  perish.  What  a  quick  eye  He  must 
have  to  see  them  all  !  What  a  tender  heart  to  care  for  them 
all !  What  a  far-reaching  and  potent  arm  to  gather  them 
all !  In  his  lifetime  on  earth  He  was  a  great  gatherer  of  the 
weaker  sort,  and  now  that  He  dwells  in  heaven.  His  loving 
heart  yearns  towards  the  meek  and  contrite,  the  timid  and 
feeble,  the  fearful  and  fainting  here  below.  How  gently  did 
He  gather  me  to  Himself,  to  His  truth,  to  His  blood,  to  His 
love,  to  His  church !  With  what  efi"ectual  grace  did  He 
compel  lue  to  come  to  Himself  1  Since  my  first  conversion, 
how  frequently  has  He  restored  me  from  my  wanderings,  and 
once  again  folded  me  within  the  circle  of  His  everlasting 
orn:  !  The  best  of  all  is,  that  He  does  it  all  Himself  per- 
sonally, not  delegating  the  task  of  love,  but  condescending 
Himself  to  rescue  and  preserve  His  most  unworthy  servant. 
How  shall  I  love  Him  enough  or  serve  Him  worthily  ?  1 
would  fain  make  His  name  great  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
but  what  can  my  feebleness  do  for  Him  ?  Great  Shepherd, 
add  to  Thy  mercies  this  one  other — a  heart  to  love  Thea 
more  truly  as  I  ought. 
25* 


294  EVENING    KEADINGS.  Oct.    IS 


'Behold,  to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice."  —  1  Samuel  xv.  22. 

iAUL  had  been  commanded  to  slay  utterly  all  the 
Amalekites  and  their  cattle.  Instead  of  doing  so, 
he  preserved  the  king,  and  suffered  his  people  to 
take  the  best  of  the  oxen  and  of  the  sheep.  When  called 
to  account  for  this,  he  declared  that  he  did  it  with  a  view 
of  offering  sacrifice  to  God  ;  but  Samuel  met  him  at  once 
with  the  assurance  that  sacrifices  were  no  excuse  for  an  act 
of  direct  rebellion.  The  sentence  before  us  is  worthy  to  be 
printed  in  letters  of  gold,  and  to  be  hung  up  before  the  eyes 
of  the  present  idolatrous  generation,  who  are  very  fond  of 
the  fineries  of  will-worship,  but  utterly  neglect  the  laws  of 
God.  Be  it  ever  in  your  remembrance,  that  to  keep  strictly 
in  the  path  of  your  Saviour's  command  is  better  than  any 
outward  form  of  religion  ;  and  to  hearken  to  His  precept 
with  an  attentive  ear  is  better  than  to  bring  the  fat  of  rams, 
or  any  other  precious  thing,  to  lay  upon  His  altar.  If  you 
are  failing  to  keep  the  least  of  Christ's  commands  to  His 
disciples,  I  pray  you  be  disobedient  no  longer.  All  the  pre- 
tensions you  make  of  attachment  to  your  Master,  and  all  the 
devout  actions  which  you  may  perform,  are  no  recompense 
for  disobedience.  "  To  obey,"  even  in  the  slightest  and 
smallest  thing,  "  is  better  than  sacrifice,"  however  pompous. 
Talk  not  of  Gregorian  chants,  sumptuous  robes,  incense, 
and  banners  ;  the  first  thing  which  God  requires  of  His  child 
is  obedience  ;  and  though  you  should  give  your  body  to  be 
burned,  and  all  your  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  yet  if  you  do 
not  hearken  to  the  Lord's  precepts,  all  your  formalities  shall 
profit  you  nothing.  It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  be  teachable  aa 
a  little  child,  but  it  is  a  much  more  blessed  thing,  when  one 
has  been  taught  the  lesson,  to  carry  it  out  to  the  letter. 
How  many  adorn  their  temples  and  decorate  their  priests, 
but  refuse  to  obey  the  word  of  the  Lord  !  My  soul,  coina 
not  thou  into  their  secret. 


Oct.    19.  ETENING    REABINOS.  295 


"God,  my  Maker,  who  giveth  sonr/s  in  the  night."  —  Job  xxxv.  10. 

["^NY  man  can  sing  in  the  day.     WHicn  llic  cup  i.s  full, 
Z*  man  draws  inspiration  from  it.      When  wealth  rolls 

'"^'  in  abundance  around  him,  any  man  can  praise  tlio 
God  who  gives  a  plenteous  harvest,  or  sends  hom«  a  loaded 
argosy.  It  is  easy  enough  for  an  ^olian  harp  to  whisper 
music  when  the  winds  blow  —  the  difficulty  is  for  music  to 
swell  forth  when  no  wind  is  stirring.  It  is  easy  to  sing  when 
we  can  read  the  notes  by  daylight ;  but  he  is  skilful  who 
sings  when  there  is  not  a  ray  of  light  to  read  by  —  who  sings 
from  his  heart.  No  man  can  make  a  song  in  the  night  of 
himself;  he  may  attempt  it,  but  he  will  find  that  a  song  in 
the  night  must  be  divinely  inspired.  Let  all  things  go  well, 
I  can  weave  songs,  fashioning  them  wherever  I  go  out  of  the 
flowers  that  grow  upon  my  path  ;  but  put  me  in  a  desert, 
where  no  green  thing  grows,  and  wherewith  shall  I  frame  a 
hymn  of  praise  to  God  ?  How  shall  a  mortal  man  make  a 
crown  for  the  Lord  where  no  jewels  are  ?  Let  but  this  voice 
be  clear,  and  this  body  full  of  health,  and  I  can  sing  God's 
praise  :  silence  my  tongue,  lay  me  upon  the  bed  of  languish- 
ing, and  how  shall  I  then  chant  God's  high  praises,  unless 
He  Himself  give  me  the  song  ?  No,  it  is  not  in  man's  power 
to  sing  when  all  is  adverse,  unless  an  altar-coal  shall  touch 
his  lip.  It  was  a  divine  song,  which  Habakkuk  sang,  when 
in  the  night  he  said,  "  Although  the  fig  tree  shall  not  blos- 
som, neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines  ;  the  labor  of  the  olive 
shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat ;  the  flock  shall 
be  cut  ofi"  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the 
stalls  :  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God 
of  my  salvation."  Then,  since  our  Maker  gives  soi^gs  in 
the  night,  let  us  wait  upon  Him  for  the  music.  0  Thou 
chief  musician,  let  us  not  remain  songless  because  afili  ttion 
is  upon  us,  tune  Thou  our  lips  to  the  melody  of  thanks< 
giving. 


296  ETENING    READINGS.  Oct.   20 

"  Keep  not  back."  —  Isaiah  xliii.  6. 


^^r^LTHOUGH  this  message  was  sent  to  the  south,  and 
^T|  '^  referred  to  the  seed  of  Israel,  it  may  profitably  be  a 
iimJ¥}M  smuQions  to  ourselves.  Backward  we  are  naturally 
to  all  good  things,  and  it  is  a  lesson  of  grace  to  learn  to  go 
forward  in  the  ways  of  God.  Reader,  are  you  unconverted, 
but  do  you  desire  to  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  ?  Then  keep  not 
hack.  Love  invites  you,  the  promises  secure  you  success,  the 
precious  blood  prepares  the  way.  Let  not  sins  or  fears  hin- 
der you,  but  come  to  Jesus  just  as  you  are.  Do  you  long  to 
pray  ?  Would  you  pour  out  your  heart  before  the  Lord  ? 
Keep  not  back.  The  mercy-seat  is  prepared  for  such  as  need 
mercy  ;  a  sinner's  cries  will  prevail  with  God.  You  are  in- 
vited, nay,  you  are  commanded  to  pray  ;  come  therefore  with 
boldness  to  the  throne  of  grace. 

Dear  friend,  are  you  already  saved  ?  Then  keep  not  back 
from  union  with  the  Lord's  people.  Neglect  not  the  ordi- 
nances of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  You  may  be  of  a 
timid  disposition,  but  you  must  strive  against  it,  lest  it  lead 
you  into  disobedience.  There  is  a  sweet  promise  made  to 
those  who  confess  Christ  —  by  no  means  miss  it,  lest  you 
come  under  the  condemnation  of  those  who  deny  Him.  If 
you  have  talents,  keep  not  lack  from  using  them.  Hoard  not 
your  wealth,  waste  not  your  time  ;  let  not  your  abilities  rust 
or  your  influence  be  unused.  Jesus  kept  not  back  ;  imitate 
Him  by  being  foremost  in  self-denials  and  self-sacrifices.  Keep 
not  back  from  close  communion  with  God,  from  boldly  appro- 
priating covenant  blessings,  from  advancing  in  the  divine  life, 
from  prying  into  the  precious  mysteries  of  the  love  of  Christ. 
Neither,  beloved  friend,  be  guilty  of  keeping  others  back  by 
your  coldness,  harshness,  or  suspicions.  For  Jesus'  sake  go 
forward  yourself,  and  encourage  others  to  do  the  like.  Hell 
and  the  leaguered  bands  of  superstition  and  infidelity  are  for* 
ward  to  the  fight.     0  soldiers  of  the  cross,  keep  rot  back. 


Oct.  21.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  297 

"  TT7/y  are  ye  troubled?  and  irJn/  do  thovglits  arise  in  your  hearts  ?  ' 
Luke  xxiv.  38. 

w^PilVIIY  sayest  thou,  0  Jacob,  and  speakest,  0  Israel, 
Wvljjk  My  way  is  hid  from  the  Lord,  and  my  judgment  is 
passed  over  from  my  God  ? "  The  Lord  cares  for 
bil  things,  and  tlic  meanest  creatures  share  in  His  universal 
providence,  but  His  particular  providence  is  over  His  saints. 
"  The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that 
fear  Him."  "  Precious  shall  their  blood  be  in  His  sight." 
"Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  His  saints." 
"We  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God,  to  them  that  are  the  called  according  to  His 
purpose."  Let  the  fact  that,  while  He  is  the  Saviour  of  all 
men,  He  is  specially  the  Saviour  of  them  that  believe,  cheer 
and  comfort  you.  You  are  His  peculiar  care  ;  His  regal 
treasure  which  He  guards  as  the  apple  of  His  eye  ;  His  vine- 
yard over  which  He  watches  day  and  night.  "  The  very  hairs 
of  your  head  are  all  numbered."  Let  the  thought  of  His 
special  love  to  you  be  a  spiritual  pain-killer,  a  dear  quietus 
to  your  woe  :  "  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee." 
God  says  that  as  much  to  you  as  to  any  saint  of  old.  "  Fear 
not,  I  am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceeding  great  reward."  We 
lose  much  consolation  by  the  habit  of  reading  His  promises 
for  the  whole  church,  instead  of  taking  them  directly  home 
to  ourselves.  Believer,  grasp  the  divine  word  with  a  per- 
sonal, appropriating  faith.  Think  that  you  hear  Jesus  say, 
"  I  have  prayed  for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  Think  you 
see  Him  walking  on  the  waters  of  thy  trouble,  for  He  is  there, 
and  He  is  saying,  "  Fear  not,  it  is  1 ;  be  not  afraid."  Oh, 
those  sweet  words  of  Christ !  May  the  Holy  Ghost  make  you 
feel  them  as  spoken  io  you  ;  forget  others  for  awhile  —  accept 
the  voice  of  Jesus  as  addressed  to  you,  and  say,  "  Jesus 
whispers  consolation;  I  cannot  lefuse  it;  I  will  eit  uudei 
His  shadow  with  great  delight." 


298  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct.   22. 

"//e  Shall  take  of  Mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you."— John  xvi.  15. 

^^HERE  are  times  when  all  the  promises  and  doctrines 
^1^  of  the  Bible  are  of  no  avail,  unless  a  gracious  hand 
shall  apply  them  to  us.  We  are  thirsty,  but  too  faint 
to  erawl  to  the  water-brook.  "When  a  soldier  is  wounded  in 
battle,  it  is  of  little  use  for  him  to  know  that  there  are  those 
at  the  hospital  who  can  bind  up  his  wounds,  and  medicines 
there  to  ease  all  the  pains  which  he  now  suffers :  what  he 
needs  is  to  be  carried  thither,  and  to  have  the  remedies  ap- 
plied. It  is  thus  with  our  souls,  and  to  meet  this  need  there 
is  one,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  who  takes  of  the  things  of 
Jesus,  and  applies  them  to  us.  Think  not  that  Christ  hath 
placed  His  joys  on  heavenly  shelves  that  we  may  chnib  up 
to  them  for  ourselves,  but  He  draws  near,  and  sheds  His 
peace  abroad  in  our  hearts.  0  Christian,  if  thou  art  to-night 
laboring  under  deep  distresses,  thy  Father  does  not  give  thee 
promises  and  then  leave  thee  to  draw  them  up  from  the  word 
like  buckets  from  a  well,  but  the  promises  He  has  written  in 
the  word  He  will  write  anew  on  your  heart.  He  will  mani- 
fest His  love  to  you,  and,  by  His  blessed  Spirit,  dispel  your 
cares  and  troubles.  Be  it  known  unto  thee,  0  mourner,  that 
it  is  God's  prerogative  to  wipe  every  tear  from  the  eye  of 
His  people.  The  good  Samaritan  did  not  say,  "Here  is  the 
wine,  and  here  is  the  oil  for  you ;  "  he  actually  poured  in  the 
oil  and  the  wine.  So  Jesus  not  only  gives  you  the  sweet 
wine  of  the  promise,  but  holds  the  golden  chalice  to  your 
lips,  and  pours  the  life-blood  into  your  mouth.  The  poor, 
sick,  way-worn  pilgrim  is  not  merely  strengthened  to  walk, 
but  he  is  borne  on  eagles'  wings.  Glorious  gospel !  which 
provides  everything  for  the  helpless,  which  draws  nigh  to  us 
wbon  we  cannot  reach  after  it  —  brings  us  grace  before  we 
seek  for  grace  !  Here  is  as  much  glory  in  the  giving  as  in 
the  gift.  Happy  people  who  have  the  Holy  Ghost  to  bring 
Jesus  to  them. 


Oct.   23.  EVENING    READINGS.  299 


Why  sleep  ye?  rise  and  pray,  lest  ye  ento'  into  temptation." 
Luke  xxii.  46. 


\HEN  is  the  Christian  most  liable  to  sleep  ?  I?  it 
when  Ms  temporal  circumstances  are  prospe^o^ut  ? 
Have  you  not  found  it  so  ?  When  you  had  daily 
troubles  to  take  to  the  throne  of  grace,  were  you  not  more 
wakeful  than  you  are  now  ?  Easy  roads  make  sleepy  travel- 
lers.  Another  dangerous  time  is  when  all  goes  pleasantly  in 
spiritual  matters.  Christian  went  not  to  sleep  when  lions 
were  in  the  way,  or  when  he  was  wading  through  the  river, 
or  when  fighting  with  Apollyon,  but  when  he  had  climbed 
half  way  up  the  Hill  Difficulty,  and  came  to  a  delightful  ar- 
bor, he  sat  down,  and  forthwith  fell  asleep,  to  his  great  sor- 
row and  loss.  The  enchanted  ground  is  a  place  of  balmy 
breezes,  laden  with  fragrant  odors  and  soft  influences,  all 
tending  to  lull  pilgrims  to  sleep.  Remember  Bunyan's  de- 
hcription  :  "  Then  they  came  to  an  arbor,  warm,  and  prom- 
ising much  refreshing  to  the  weary  pilgrims  ;  for  it  was  finely 
wrought  above  head,  beautified  with  greens,  and  furnished 
with  benches  and  settles.  It  had  also  in  it  a  soft  couch, 
where  the  weary  might  lean."  "  The  arbor  was  called  the 
Slothful's  Friend,  and  was  made  on  purpose  to  allure,  if  it 
might  be,  some  of  the  pilgrims  to  take  up  their  rest  there 
when  weary,"  Depsnd  upon  it  it  is  in  easy  places  that  men 
shut  tlieir  eyes  and  ^\"ander  into  the  dreamy  land  of  forgct- 
fulness.  Old  Erskine  wisely  remarked,  "  I  like  a  roaring 
devil  better  than  a  sleeping  devil."  There  is  no  temptation 
half  so  dangerous  as  not  being  tempted.  The  distressed  soul 
does  not  sleep  ;  it  is  after  we  enter  into  peaceful  confidence 
and  full  assurance  that  we  are  in  danger  of  slumbering.  The 
disciples  fell  asleep  after  they  had  seen  Jesus  transfigured 
on  the  mountain  top.  Take  heed,  joyous  Christian  —  good 
frames  are  near  neighbors  to  temptations  :  be  as  happy  aa 
you  will,  only  be  watchful. 


300  EVENING   HEADINGS.  Oct.  24 


"  He  began  to  wash  the  disciples'  feet."  —  John  xiii.  5. 

^5^^^HE  Lord  Jesus  loves  his  people  so  much,  that  every 
^T  kll  ^^^  ■'^^  ^^  ^^^^^  doing  for  them  much  that  is  analogoua 
'^^'^^^  to  washing  their  soiled  feet.  Their  poorest  actions 
He  accepts  ;  their  deepest  sorrow  He  feels  ;  their  slenderest 
wish  He  hears,  and  their  every  transgression  He  forgives 
He  is  still  their  servant  as  well  as  their  Friend  and  Master. 
He  not  onlj  performs  majestic  deeds  for  them,  as  wearing  the 
mitre  on  His  brow,  and  the  precious  jewels  glittering  on  His 
breastplate,  and  standing  up  to  plead  for  them,  but  humbly, 
patiently.  He  yet  goes  about  among  His  people  with  the 
basin  and  the  towel.  He  does  this  when  He  puts  away  from 
us  day  by  day  our  constant  infirmities  and  sins.  Last  night, 
when  you  bowed  the  knee,  you  mournfully  confessed  that 
much  of  your  conduct  was  not  worthy  of  your  profession  ; 
and  even  to-night  you  must  mourn  afresh  that  you  have  fallen 
again  into  the  selfsame  folly  and  sin  from  which  special 
grace  delivered  you  long  ago  ;  and  yet  Jesus  will  have  great 
patience  with  you  ;  He  will  hear  your  confession  of  sin  ;  He 
will  say,  "  I  will,  be  thou  clean  ; "  He  will  again  apply  the 
blood  of  sprinkling,  and  speak  peace  to  your  conscience,  and 
remove  every  spot.  It  is  a  great  act  of  eternal  love  when 
Christ  once  for  all  absolves  the  sinner,  and  puts  him  into  the 
family  of  God ;  but  what  condescending  patience  there  is 
when  the  Saviour  with  much  long-suffering  bears  the  oft 
recurring  follies  of  His  wayward  disciple ;  day  by  day,  and 
hour  by  hour,  washing  away  the  multiplied  transgressions  of 
His  erring  but  yet  beloved  child !  To  dry  up  a  flood  of 
rebellion  is  something  marvellous,  but  to  endure  the  constant 
dropping  of  repeated  offences  —  to  bear  with  a  perpetual  try- 
ing of  patience,  this  is  divine  indeed  !  While  we  find  com- 
fort and  peace  in  our  Lord's  daily  cleansing,  its  legitimata 
influence  upon  us  will  be  to  increase  our  watchfulness,  ant 
quicken  tur  desire  for  holiness.     Is  it  sof 


Oct.   25.  EVENING    READINGS.  301 

"  She  gleaned  in  the  field  after  the  reapers :  and  her  hap  vma  to 
light  on  a  part  of  the  field  belonging  unto  Boaz,  who  teas  of  tht 
kindred  of  Elimelerh."  —  lluth  ii.  3. 

^^I^^ER  hap  was.  Yes,  it  seemed  nothing  but  an  accl- 
i^jir\i  dent,  but  how  divinely  was  it  overruled  !  Ruth  had 
^'^^^^^  gone  forth  with  her  mother's  blessing,  under  the  care 
of  her  mother's  God,  to  humble  but  honorable  toil,  and  the 
providence  of  God  was  guiding  her  every  step.  Little  did 
she  know  that  amid  the  sheaves  she  would  find  a  husband, 
that  he  should  make  her  the  joint  owner  of  all  those  broad 
acres,  and  that  she,  a  poor  foreigner,  should  become  one  of 
the  progenitors  of  the  great  Messiah.  God  is  very  good  to 
those  who  trust  in  Him,  and  often  surprises  them  with  un- 
looked-for blessings.  Little  do  we  know  what  may  happen 
to  us  to-morrow,  but  this  sweet  fact  may  cheer  us,  that  no 
good  thing  shall  be  withh'eld.  Chance  is  banished  from  the 
faith  of  Christians,  for  they  see  the  hand  of  God  in  every- 
thing. The  trivial  events  of  to-day  or  to-morrow  may  in- 
volve consequences  of  the  highest  importance.  0  Lord,  deal 
as  graciously  with  Thy  servants  as  Thou  didst  with  Ruth. 

How  blessed  would  it  be,  if,  in  wandering  in  the  field  of 
meditation  to-night,  our  hap  should  be  to  light  upon  the 
place  where  our  next  Kinsman  will  reveal  Himself  to  us  ! 
0  Spirit  of  God,  guide  us  to  Him.  We  would  sooner  glean 
in  His  field  than  bear  away  the  whole  harvest  from  any 
other.  0  for  the  footsteps  of  His  flock,  which  may  conduct 
us  to  the  green  pastures  where  He  dwells  !  This  is  a  weary 
world  when  Jesus  is  away  —  we  could  better  do  without  sun 
and  moon  than  without  Him  —  but  how  divinely  fair  all 
things  become  in  the  glory  of  His  presence  !  Our  souls 
know  the  virtue  which  dwells  'n  Jesus,  and  can  never  be 
content  without  Him.  We  will  wait  in  prayer  this  night  un- 
til our  hap  shall  be  to  light  on  a  part  of  the  field  belonging 
to  Jesus,  wherein  He  will  manifest  Himself  to  us. 
26 


i02  EVETfING    HEADINGS.  Oct.  26. 


"  All  the  rivers  run  into  the  sea  ;  yet  the  sea  is  not  full ;  unto  the 
place  from  whence  the  rivers  come,  thither  they  return  again." 
—  Ecclesiastes  i.  7. 

^^^^VERYTHINGr  sublunary  is  on  the  move  ;  time  knowa 
yClr^^l\  nothing  of  rest.     The  solid  earth  is  a  rollinff  ball, 

—  and  the  great  sun  himself  a  star  obediently  fulfilling 
its  course  around  some  greater  luminary.  Tides  move  the 
Bea,  winds  stir  the  airy  ocean,  friction  wears  the  rock  : 
change  and  death  rule  everywhere.  The  sea  is  not  a  miser's 
storehouse  for  a  wealth  of  waters,  for  as  by  one  force  the 
waters  flow  into  it,  by  another  they  are  lifted  from  it.  Men 
are  born  but  to  die  :  everything  is  hurry,  worry,  and  vex- 
ation of  spirit.  Friend  of  the  unchanging  Jesus,  what  a 
joy  it  is  to  reflect  upon  thy  ^nangeless  heritage  !  thy  sea  of 
bliss  which  will  be  forever  full,  since  God  Himself  shall 
pour  eternal  rivers  of  pleasure  into  it.'  We  seek  an  abiding 
city  beyond  the  skies,  and  we  shall  not  be  disappointed. 

The  passage  before  us  may  well  teach  us  gratitude. 
Father  Ocean  is  a  great  receiver,  but  he  is  a  generous  dis- 
tributer. What  the  rivers  bring  him  he  returns  to  the  earth 
in  the  form  of  clouds  and  rain.  That  man  is  out  of  joint 
with  the  universe  who  takes  all,  but  makes  no  return.  To 
give  to  others  is  but  sowing  seed  for  ourselves.  He  who  is 
so  good  a  steward  as  to  be  willing  to  use  his  substance  for 
his  Lord,  shall  be  intrusted  with  more.  Friend  of  Jesus, 
art  thou  rendering  to  Him  according  to  the  benefit  received  ? 
Much  has  been  given  thee  —  what  is  thy  fruit  ?  Hast  thou 
done  all  ?  Canst  thou  not  do  more  ?  To  be  selfish  is  to  be 
wicked.  Suppose  the  ocean  gave  up  none  of  its  watery 
treasure,  it  would  bring  ruin  upon  our  race.  God  forbid  that 
any  of  us  should  follow  the  ungenerous  and  destructive  pol- 
icy of  living  unto  ourselves.  Jesus  pleased  not  Himself. 
All  fulness  dwells  in  Him,  but  of  His  fulness  have  all  we 
received.  O  for  Jesu's  spirit,  that  henceforth  we  may  live 
not  unto  ourselves  ! 


Oct.   27.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  303 


We  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing."  —  Isaiah  Ixiv.  6. 


^***^^HE  believer  is  a  new  creature  ;  he  belongs  to  a  LlIv 
ylJUjI  generation  and  a  peculiar  people  —  the  Spirit  of  God 
'^'^**^  is  in  him,  and  in  all  respects  he  is  far  removed  from 
the  natural  man  ;  but  for  all  that  the  Christian  is  a  sinner 
still.  He  is  so  from  the  imperfection  of  his  nature,  and  will 
continue  so  to  the  end  of  his  earthly  life.  The  black  finger' 
of  sin  leave  smuts  upon  our  fairest  robes.  Sin  mars  our  re 
peutance,  ere  the  great  Potter  has  finished  it,  upon  the  wheel 
Selfishness  defiles  our  tears,  and  unbelief  tampers  with  oui 
faith.  The  best  thing  we  ever  did,  apart  from  the  merit  of 
Jesus,  only  swelled  the  number  of  our  sins  ;  for  when  we 
have  been  most  pure  in  our  own  sight,  yet,  like  the  heavens, 
we  are  not  pure  in  God's  sight ;  and,  as  He  charged  His 
angels  with  folly,  much  more  must  He  charge  us  with  it,  even 
in  our  most  angelic  frames  of  mind.  The  song  which  thrills 
to  heaven,  and  seeks  to  emulate  seraphic  strains,  hath  human 
discords  in  it.  The  prayer  which  moves  the  arm  of  God  is 
still  a  bruised  and  battered  prayer,  and  only  moves  that  arm 
because  the  sinless  One,  the  great  Mediator,  has  stepped  in 
to  take  away  the  sin  of  our  supplication.  The  most  golden 
faith  or  the  purest  degree  of  sanctification  to  which  a  Chris- 
tian ever  attained  on  earth,  has  still  so  much  alloy  in  it  as  to 
be  only  worthy  of  the  flames,  in  itself  considered.  Every 
night  we  look  in  the  glass  we  see  a  sinner,  and  had  need  con- 
fess, "  We  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our  righteous- 
nesses are  as  filthy  rags."  Oh,  how  precious  the  blood  of 
Christ  to  such  hearts  as  ours  !  How  priceless  a  gift  is  His 
perfect  rigliteousness  !  And  how  bright  the  hope  of  perfect 
uolinesa  hereafter  !  Even  now,  though  sin  dwells  in  us,  iU 
fower  is  broken.  It  has  no  dominion  ;  it  is  a  broken-backed 
snake  ;  we  are  in  bitter  conflict  with  it,  but  it  is  with  »  van- 
quished foe  that  we  have  to  deal.  Yet  a  little  while  and  we 
nhall  enter  victoriously  into  the  city  where  nothing  defileth. 


3(.  i  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct.   28 

"  i/ts  head  is  as  the  most  fine  gold.  His  locks  are  hiishy,  and  hlacX 
as  a  raven." — Solomon's  Song  v.  11. 

^^.f.OMPAllISONS  all  fail  to  set  forth  the  Lord  Jesus, 
itM  but  the  spouse  uses  the  best  within  her  reach.  Cj 
the  head  of  Jesus  we  may  understand  His  deity,  "  for 
the  head  of  Christ  is  God  ; "  and  then  the  ingot  of  purest 
gold  is  the  best  conceivable  metaphor,  but  all  too  poor  to 
describe  one  so  precious,  so  pure,  so  dear,  so  glorious.  Je- 
sus is  not  a  grain  of  gold,  but  a  vast  globe  of  it,  a  priceless 
mass  of  treasure  such  as  earth  and  heaven  cannot  excel. 
The  creatures  are  mere  iron  and  clay ;  they  all  shall  perish 
like  wood,  hay,  and  stubble ;  but  the  ever-living  Head  of  thi 
creation  of  God  shall  shine  on  forever  and  ever.  In  Him  is 
no  mixture,  nor  smallest  taint  of  alloy.  He  is  forever  infi- 
nitely holy  and  altogether  divine.  The  bushy  locks  depict 
His  manly  vigor.  There  is  nothing  effeminate  in  our  Be- 
loved. He  is  the  manliest  of  men.  Bold  as  a  lion,  labori- 
ous as  an  ox,  swift  as  an  eagle.  Every  conceivable  and  in- 
conceivable beauty  is  to  be  found  in  Him,  though  once  He 
was  despised  and  rejected  of  men. 

"  His  head  the  Quest  "-old ; 

With  secret  sweet  perfume, 
His  curled  locks  haug  all  as  black 
As  any  raven's  plume." 

The  glory  of  His  head  is  not  shorn  away ;  He  is  eternalJy 
crowned  with  peerless  majesty.  The  black  hair  indicates 
youthful  freshness,  for  Jesus  has  the  dew  of  His  youth  upon 
Him.  Others  grow  languid  with  age,  but  He  is  forever  a 
Priest  as  was  Melchisedek  ;  others  come  and  go,  but  He 
abides  as  God  upon  His  throne,  world  without  end.  We  will 
behold  Him  to-night  and  adore  Him.  Angels  are  gazing 
upon  Him  —  His  redeemed  must  not  turn  away  their  eyes 
from  Him.  Where  else  is  there  such  a  Belcved  ?  Oh  for  an 
hour's  fellowship  with  Him  !  Away,  ye  intruding  cares 
Jesus  draws  me,  and  I  run  after  Him. 


Oct.   29.  EVENING    READINGS.  303 


•'  But  their  eyes  were  holden  that  they  should  not  knou  Him." 
Luke  xxiv.  IG. 

^5j*^FIE  disciples  ought  to  have  known  Jesus ;  ihey  had 
ilrJ^  heard  His  voice  so  often,  and  gazed  upon  that  marrcc* 
''^'*'^  face  so  frequently,  that  it  is  wonderful  they  did  no\ 
discover  Hiui.  Yet  is  it  not  so  with  you  also  ?  You  have 
not  seen  Jesus  lately.  You  have  been  to  His  table,  and  yoa 
have  not  met  Him  there.  You  are  in  a  dark  trouble  thia 
evening,  and  though  He  plainly  says,  "  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid," 
yet  3'ou  cannot  discern  Him.  Alas  !  our  eyes  are  holden. 
We  know  His  voice  ;  we  have  looked  into  His  face  ;  we  have 
leaned  our  head  upon  His  bosom,  and  yet,  though  Christ  is 
v«ry  near  us,  wc  are  saying,  "  Oh  that  I  knew  where  I  might 
find  Him  !  "  We  should  know  Jesus,  for  we  have  the  Scrip- 
tures to  reflect  His  image ;  and  yet  how  possible  it  is  for  us 
to  open  that  precious  book  and  have  no  glimpse  of  the  Well- 
beloved  !  Dear  child  of  God,  are  you  in  that  state  ?  Jesus 
feedeth  among  the  lilies  of  the  word,  and  you  walk  among 
those  lilies,  and  yet  you  behold  Him  not.  He  is  accustomed 
to  walk  through  the  glades  of  Scripture,  and  to  commune 
with  His  people,  as  the  Fatlier  did  with  Adam  in  the  cool 
of  the  day,  and  yet  you  are  in  the  garden  of  Scripture,  but 
cann''t  see  Him,  though  He  is  always  there.  And  why  do 
we  not  see  Him  ?  It  must  be  ascribed  in  our  case,  as  in  .he 
disciples',  to  unbelief.  They  evidently  did  not  expct  to 
Bee  Jesus,  and  therefore  they  did  not  know  Him.  To  a 
great  extent  in  spiritual  things  we  get  what  wc  expect  of 
the  Lord.  Faith  alone  can  bring  us  to  see  Jesus.  Make  it 
your  prayer,  "  Lord,  open  Thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  see 
my  Saviour  present  with  me."  It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  tvanl 
to  see  Him  ;  but  oh  !  it  is  better  far  to  gaze  upon  Him.  Cc 
those  who  seek  Iliin  He  is  kind  :  but  to  those  who  find  H\m. 
beyond  expression  is  Ha  dear  ! 
26* 


806  EVENING    READINGS.  Oct.  30 

•♦  Thou  that  dwellest  in  the  gardens,  the  companions  hearken  to  7  At 
voice :  cause  me  to  hear  it."  —  Solomon's  Song  viii.  13. 

^Y  sweet  Lord  Jesus  remembers  well  the  garden  of 
Grethseraane,  and  although  He  has  left  that  garden, 
He  now  dwells  in  the  garden  of  His  church  :  there  He 
unbosoms  Himself  to  those  who  keep  His  blessed  company. 
Toat  voice  of  love  with  which  He  speaks  to  His  beloved  is 
more  musical  than  the  harps  of  heaven.  There  is  a  depth 
of  melodious  love  within  it  which  leaves  all  human  music  far 
behind.  Tens  of  thousands  on  earth,  and  millions  above, 
are  indulged  with  its  harmonious  accents.  Some  whom  1 
well  know,  and  whom  I  greatly  envy,  are  at  this  moment 
hearkening  to  the  beloved  voice.  Oh  that  I  were  a  par- 
taker of  their  joys  I  It  is  true  some  of  these  are  poor, 
others  bedridden,  and  some  near  the  gates  of  death  ;  but  0 
my  Lord,  I  would  cheerfully  starve  with  them,  pine  with 
them,  or  die  with  them,  if  I  might  but  hear  Thy  voice. 
Once  I  did  hear  it  often,  but  I  have  grieved  Thy  Spirit. 
Return  unto  me  in  compassion,  and  once  again  say  unto  me, 
"  I  am  thy  salvation."  No  other  voice  can  content  me  ;  I 
know  Thy  voice,  and  cannot  be  deceived  by  another  ;  let  me 
hear  it,  I  pray  Thee.  I  know  not  what  Thou  wilt  say,  neither 
do  I  make  any  condition.  0  my  Beloved,  do  but  let  me  hear 
Thee  speak,  and  if  it  be  a  rebuke  I  will  bless  Thee  for  it. 
Perhaps  to  cleanse  my  dull  ear  may  need  an  operation  very 
grievous  to  the  flesh,  but,  let  it  cost  what  it  may,  I  turn  not 
from  the  one  consuming  desire  —  cause  me  to  hear  Thy  voice. 
Bore  my  ear  afresh  ;  pierce  my  ear  with  Thy  harshest  notes, 
only  do  not  permit  me  to  continue  deaf  to  Thy  calls.  To- 
night, Lord,  grant  Thine  unworthy  one  his  desire,  for  I  am 
Thine,  and  Thou  hast  bought  me  with  Thy  blood.  Thou 
aa--t  opened  mine  eye  to  see  Thee,  and  the  sight  has  saved 
me.  Lord,  open  Thou  mine  ear.  I  have  read  Thy  heart, 
now  let  me  hear  Thy  lips. 


Oct.   31.  EVKMNO    KLADINGS.  307 

•'  /  did  know  iJtee  in  the  wilderness,  in  the  land  of  great  drought.' 
llosea  xiii.  5. 

if'ttl-'^ES,  Lord,  Thou  didst  indeed  know  me  in  my  fallen 
j'-s'  state,  and  Thou  didst  even  then  choose  me  foi  Thy- 
■"^  polf.  Whon  I  was  loathsome  and  self-abhorred,  Thou 
didst  receive  me  as  Thy  child,  and  Thou  didst  satis- 
fy my  jraving  wants.  Blessed  forever  be  Thy  name  for  thi? 
free,  ricli,  abounding  mercy.  Since  then,  my  inward  experi- 
ence has  often  been  a  wilderness  ;  but  Thou  hast  owned  me 
still  as  Thy  beloved,  and  poured  streams  of  love  and  grace 
into  me  to  gladden  me,  and  make  mc  fruitful.  Yea,  when 
my  outward  circumstances  have  been  at  the  worst,  and  I  have 
wandered  in  a  land  of  drought,  Thy  sweet  presence  has  sol- 
aced me.  Men  have  not  known  me  when  scorn  has  awaited 
me,  but  Thou  hast  known  ray  soul  in  adversities,  for  no  af- 
fliction dims  tlie  lustre  of  Thy  love.  3Iost  gracious  Lord,  1 
magnify  Thee  for  all  Thy  faithfulness  to  me  in  trying  circum- 
stances, and  I  deplore  that  I  should  at  any  time  have  forgot- 
ten Thee  and  been  exalted  in  heart,  when  I  have  owed  all  to 
Thy  gentleness  and  love.  Have  mercy  upon  Thy  servant  in 
this  thing  ! 

My  soul,  if  Jesus  thus  acknowledged  thee  in  thy  low  es- 
tate, be  sure  that  thou  own  both  Himself  and  His  cause  now 
that  thou  art  in  thy  prosperity.  Be  not  lifted  up  by  thy  world- 
ly successes  so  as  to  be  ashamed  of  the  truth  or  of  the  poor 
church  with  which  thou  hast  been  associated.  Follow  Jesus 
into  the  wilderness :  bear  the  cross  with  Him  when  the  heat 
of  persecution  grows  hot.  He  owned  thee,  0  my  soul,  in  thy 
poverty  and  shame  —  never  be  so  treacherous  as  to  be  ashamed 
of  Him.  Oh  for  more  shame  at  the  thought  of  being  ashitiied 
•f  mj  b2£*  Beloved !     Jesus,  my  soul  cleavcth  to  Thee. 

"  I'll  turn  to  Thco  in  d.-iys  of  light, 
As  well  as  iiiy;lits  of  care, 
Thou  brightL'st  iimid  all  that's  bright  • 
Thou  fairest  of  ttie  fair  !  " 


308  EVENING    KEADINGS.  NoV.   1. 


"  And  knew  not  until  the  flood  came,  and  took  them  all  away ;  so 
shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be."  —  Matt,  xxiv,  39. 

UNIVERSAL  was  the  doom ;  neither  rich  nor  poor  es- 
caped :  the  learned  and  the  illiterate,  the  admired 
and  the  abhorred,  the  religious  and  the  profane,  the 
old  and  the  young,  all  sank  in  one  common  ruin.  Some  had 
doubtle^  ridiculed  the  patriarch  —  where  now  their  merry 
jests?  Others  had  threatened  him  for  his  zeal,  which  they 
counted  madness  —  where  now  their  boastings  and  hard 
speeches  ?  The  critic  who  judged  the  old  man's  work  is 
drowned  in  the  same  sea  which  covers  his  sneering  compan- 
ions. Those  who  spoke  patronizingly  of  the  good  man's 
fidelity  to  his  convictions,  but  shared  not  in  them,  have  sunk 
to  rise  no  more,  and  the  workers  who  for  pay  helped  to  build 
the  wondrous  ark,  are  all  lost  also.  The  flood  swept  them 
all  away,  and  made  no  single  exception.  Even  so,  out  of 
Christ,  final  destruction  is  sure  to  every  man  of  woman  born  ; 
no  rank,  possession,  or  character,  shall  suffice  to  save  a  single 
soul  who  has  not  believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  My  soul,  be- 
hold this  wide-spread  judgment,  and  tremble  at  it. 

How  marvellous  the  general  apathy  !  they  were  all  eating 
and  drinking,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage,  till  the  awfu' 
morning  dawned.  There  was  not  one  wise  man  upon  earth 
out  of  the  ark.  Polly  duped  the  whole  race,  folly  as  to  self- 
preservation  —  the  most  foolish  of  all  follies.  Folly  in  doubt- 
ing the  most  true  God  —  the  most  malignant  of  fooleries. 
Strange,  my  soul,  is  it  not  ?  All  men  are  negligent  of  their 
souls  till  grace  gives  them  reason  ;  then  they  leave  their  mad- 
ness and  act  like  rational  beings,  but  not  till  then. 

All,  blessed  be  God,  were  safe  in  the  ark ;  no  ruin  entered 
there.  From  the  huge  elephant  down  to  the  tiny  mouse  all 
were  safe.  The  timid  hare  was  equally  secure  with  the  cou- 
rageous lion,  the  helpless  cony  as  safe  as  the  laborious  ox, 
All  are  safe  in  Jesus.     My  soul,  art  thou  in  Him  ? 


.VoV.   2.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  309 

"  Ilorror  hath  taken  hold  upon  me  because  of  the  wicked  that  for- 
sake Thy  law."  —  Psalm  cxix.  53. 

J)Y  soul,  feelest  thou  tliis  holy  shuddering  at  tlie  sins  of 
1^  others  ?  for  otherwise  thou  lackest  inward  holiness. 
V  David's  cheeks  were  wet  with  rivers  of  waters  because 
of  prevailing  unholiness,  Jeremiah  desired  eyes  like  foun- 
tains that  he  might  lament  the  iniquities  of  Israel,  and  Lot 
was  vexed  with  the  conversation  of  the  men  of  Sodom.  Those 
upon  whom  the  mark  was  set  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  were  those 
who  sighed  and  cried  for  the  abominatrons  of  Jerusalem.  It 
cannot  but  grieve  gracious  souls  to  see  what  pains  men  take 
to  go  to  hell.  They  know  the  evil  of  sin  experimentally,  and 
they  are  alarmed  to  see  others  flying  like  moths  into  its  blaze. 
Sin  makes  the  righteous  shudder,  because  it  violates  a  holy 
law,  which  it  is  to  every  man's  highest  interest  to  keep;  it 
pulls  down  the  pillars  of  the  commonwealth.  Sin  in  others 
horrifies  a  believer,  because  it  puts  him  in  mind  of  the  base- 
ness of  his  own  heart:  when  he  sees  a  transgressor  he  cries 
witli  the  saint  mentioned  by  Bernard,  "  He  fell  to-day,  and  I 
may  fall  to-morrow."  Sin  to  a  believer  is  horrible,  because 
it  crucified  the  Saviour ;  he  sees  in  every  iniquity  the  nails 
and  spear.  How  can  a  saved  soul  behold  that  cursed  kill- 
Christ  sin  without  abhorrence?  Say,  my  heart,  dost  thou 
sensibly  join  in  all  this  ?  It  is  an  awful  thing  to  insult  God 
;o  His  face.  The  good  God  deserves  better  treatment,  the 
great  God  claims  it,  the  just  God  will  have  it,  or  repay  His 
adversary  to  his  face.  An  awakened  heart  trembles  at  the 
audacity  of  sin,  and  stands  alarmed  at  the  contemplation  of 
its  punishment.  How  monstrous  a  thing  is  rebellion  !  How 
iireful  a  doom  is  prepared  for  the  ungodly  !  My  soul,  never 
laugh  at  sin's  fooleries,  lest  thou  come  to  smile  at  sin  itself. 
It  is  thine  enemy,  and  thy  Lord's  enemy  —  view  it  with  defc* 
«jstation,  for  so  only  canst  thou  evidence  the  possession  of 
holiness,  without  which  no  man  can  see  the  Lord. 


310  ETENING   KEADINGS.  NoV.  3 

"  Their  prayer  came  up  to  His  holy  dwelling-place,  even  unto 
heaven."  —  2  Chronicles  xxx.  27. 

ljj|RAYER  is  the  never-failing  resort  cf  the  Christian  in 
any  case,  in  every  plight.  When  you  cannot  use 
your  sword  you  may  take  to  the  weapon  of  all-prayer. 
Your  powder  may  be  damp,  your  bow-string  may  be  re- 
laxed, but  the  weapon  of  all-prayer  need  never  be  out  of 
order.  Leviathan  laughs  at  the  javelin,  but  he  trembles  at 
prayer.  Sword  and  spear  need  furbishing,  but  prayer  never 
rusts,  and  when  we  think  it  most  blunt  it  cuts  the  best.  Pray- 
er is  an  open  door  which  none  can  shut.  Devils  may  sur- 
round you  on  all  sides,  but  the  way  upward  is  always  open, 
and  as  long  as  that  road  is  unobstructed,  you  will  not  fall 
into  the  enemy's  hand.  We  can  never  be  taken  by  blockade, 
escalade,  mine,  or  storm,  so  long  as  heavenly  succors  can 
come  down  to  us  by  Jacob's  ladder  to  relieve  us  in  the  time 
of  our  necessities.  Prayer  is  never  out  of  season  ;  in  summer 
and  in  winter  its  merchandise  is  precious.  Prayer  gains 
audience  with  heaven  in  the  dead  of  night,  in  the  midst  of 
business,  in  the  heat  of  noonday,  in  the  shades  of  evening. 
In  every  condition,  whether  of  poverty,  or  sickness,  or  ob- 
scurity, or  slander,  or  doubt,  your  covenant  God  will  welcome 
your  prayer  and  answer  it  from  His  holy  place.  Nor  is  pray- 
er ever  futile.  True  prayer  is  evermore  true  power.  You 
may  not  always  get  what  you  ask,  but  you  shall  always  have 
your  real  wants  supplied.  When  God  does  not  answer  His 
children  according  to  the  letter.  He  does  so  according  to  the 
spirit.  If  thou  askest  for  coarse  meal,  wilt  thou  be  angered 
because  He  gives  thee  the  finest  flour  ?  If  thou  seekest  bod- 
ily health,  shouldst  thou  complain  if  instead  thereof  He 
makes  thy  sickness  turn  to  the  healing  of  spiritual  maladies  ? 
Is  it  not  better  to  have  the  cross  sanctified  than  removed  ? 
This  evening,  my  soul,  forget  not  to  oifer  thy  petition  and 
request,  for  the  Lord  is  ready  to  grant  thofi  thy  desires. 


Nov.  4.  EVENING    READINGS.  311 

"  In  thj  light  shall  we  see  light"  —  Psalm  xxxvi.  9. 

iO  lips  can  tell  the  love  of  Christ  to  the  heart  till  Jesus 
"Jq  Himself  shall  speak  within.  Descriptions  all  fall  flat 
and  tame  unless  the  Holy  Ghost  (ills  them  with  lifa 
and  power  ;  till  our  Imraanuel  reveals  Himself  within,  the 
Boul  sees  Him  not.  If  you  would  see  the  sun,  would  you 
gather  together  the  common  means  of  illumination,  and  seek 
in  that  way  to  behold  the  orb  of  day  ?  No,  the  wise  man 
knoweth  that  the  sun  must  reveal  itself,  and  only  by  its  own 
blaze  can  that  mighty  lamp  be  seen.  It  is  so  with  Christ. 
"  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar-jona :  "  said  He  to  Peter, 
"  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  this  unto  thee." 
Purify  flesh  and  blood  by  any  educational  process  you  may 
select,  elevate  mental  faculties  to  the  highest  degree  of  in- 
tellectual power,  yet  none  of  these  can  reveal  Christ.  The 
Spirit  of  God  must  come  with  power,  and  overshadow  the 
man  with  His  wings,  and  then  in  that  mystic  holy  of  holiea 
the  Lord  Jesus  must  display  Himself  to  the  sanctified  eye,  as 
He  doth  not  unto  the  purblind  sons  of  men.  Christ  must  bo 
His  own  mirror.  The  great  mass  of  this  blear-eyed  world 
can  see  nothing  of  the  ineffable  glories  of  Immanuel.  He 
stands  before  them  without  form  or  comeliness,  a  root  out  of 
a  dry  ground,  rejected  by  the  vain,  and  despised  by  tho 
proud.  Only  where  the  Spirit  has  touched  the  eye  with  eye- 
salve,  quickened  the  heart  with  divine  life,  and  educated  the 
Boul  to  a  heavenly  taste,  only  there  is  He  understood.  "  To 
you  that  believe  He  is  precious ; "  to  you  He  is  the  chief 
corner-stone,  the  Rock  of  your  salvation,  your  all  \u  all ; 
but  to  others  He  is  "  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of 
offence."  Happy  are  those  to  whom  our  Lord  manifests 
Himself,  for  His  promise  to  such  is,  that  He  will  make  Hit 
abode  with  them.  0  Jesus,  our  Lord,  our  heart  is  open  ;  come 
in,  and  go  out  no  more  forever.  Show  Thyself  to  us  now. 
•*J7«)r  us  with  a  glimpse  of  Thine  all-conquering  c*^j>.rms. 


312  EVENING    EEADINGS.  NoV.   5- 

_"  Be  thankful  unto  Him,  and  bless  His  name."  —  Psalm  c.  4. 

|fe/^]?!j^TJR  Lord  would  have  all  His  people  rich  in  high  and 
w  ^'^  ^^''•PPy  thoughts  concerning  His  blessed  person.  Jesus 
*^*'^  '  is  not  content  that  His  brethren  should  think  meanly 
of  Him  ;  it  is  His  pleasure  that  His  espoused  ones  should  be 
delighted  with  His  beauty.  We  are  not  to  regard  Him  as  a 
bare  necessary,  like  to  bread  and  water,  but  as  a  luxurious 
delicacy,  as  a  rare  and  ravishing  delight.  To  this  end  He 
has  revealed  Himself  as  the  "  pearl  of  great  price  "  in  its 
peerless  beauty,  as  the  "bundle  of  myrrh"  in  its  refreshing 
fragrance,  as  the  "rose  of  Sharon"  in  its  lasting  perfume, 
as  the  "  lily"  in  its  spotless  purity. 

As  a  help  to  high  thoughts  of  Christ,  remember  the  esti- 
mation that  Christ  is  had  in  beyond  the  skies,  where  things 
are  measured  by  the  right  standard.  Think  how  God  esteems 
the  onlj'  begotten.  His  unspeakable  gift  to  us.  Consider  what 
the  angels  think  of  Him,  as  they  count  it  their  highest  honor 
to  veil  their  faces  at  His  feet.  Consider  what  the  blood- 
washed  think  of  Him,  as  day  without  night  they  sing  His 
well-deserved  praises.  High  thoughts  of  Christ  will  enable 
us  to  act  consistently  with  our  relations  towards  Him.  The 
more  loftily  we  see  Christ  enthroned,  and  the  more  lowly  we 
are  when  bowing  before  the  foot  of  the  throne,  the  more  truly 
shall  we  be  prepared  to  act  our  part  towards  Him.  Our  Lord 
Jesus  desires  us  to  think  well  of  Him,  that  we  may  submit 
cheerfully  to  His  authority.  High  thoughts  of  Him  increase 
our  love.  Love  and  esteem  go  together.  Therefore,  be- 
liever, think  much  of  your  Master's  excellences.  Study  Him 
in  Hia  primeval  glory,  before  He  took  upon  Himself  your 
nature  !  Think  of  the  mighty  love  which  drew  Him  from  His 
throne  to  die  upon  the  cross  !  Admire  Him  as  He  coiuiuers 
all  the  powers  of  hell !  See  Him  risen,  crowned,  glorified  ! 
Bow  before  Him  as  the  Wonderful,  the  Counsellor,  the  miglitj 
God,  for  only  thus  will  your  love  to  Him  be  what  it  should. 


Nov.  6.  EVENING    READINGS.  313 

"  Sayitiff,  TJtis  is  the  blood  of  the  testament  which  God  hath  en- 
joined unto  you."  —  Hebrews  ix.  20. 


P*lf"^HEIlE  is  a  strange  power  about  the  very  name  of 
lirl*^  blood,  and  the  sight  of  it  is  always  affecting.  A  kind 
'^^'^  heart  cannot  bear  to  see  a  aparrow  bleed,  and  unless 
familiarized  by  use,  turns  away  with  horror  at  the  slaughter 
of  a  beast.  As  to  the  blood  of  men,  it  is  a  consecrated  thing : 
it  is  murder  to  shed  it  in  wrath  ;  it  is  a  dreadful  crime  to 
squander  it  in  war.  Is  this  solemnity  occasioned  by  the  fact 
that  the  blood  is  the  life,  and  the  pouring  of  it  forth  the  token 
of  death  ?  We  think  so.  When  we  rise  to  contemplate  the 
blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  our  awe  is  yet  more  increased,  and 
we  shudder  as  we  think  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  the  terrible 
penalty  which  the  Sin-bearer  endured.  Blood,  always  pre- 
cious, is  priceless  when  it  streams  from  Immanuel's  side. 
The  blood  of  Jesus  seals  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  makes  it 
forever  sure.  Covenants  of  old  were  made  by  sacrifice,  and 
the  everlasting  covenant  was  ratified  in  the  same  manner. 
Oh,  the  delight  of  being  saved  upon  the  sure  foundation  of 
divine  engagements  which  cannot  be  dishonored  !  Salvation 
by  the  works  of  the  law  is  a  frail  and  broken  vessel  whose 
shipwreck  is  sure  ;  but  the  covenant  vessel  fears  no  storms, 
for  the  blood  insures  the  whole.  The  blood  of  Jesus  made 
His  testament  valid.  Wills  are  of  no  power  unless  the  testators 
die.  In  this  light  the  soldier's  spear  is  a  blessed  aid  to  faith, 
since  it  proved  our  Lord  to  be  really  dead.  Doubts  upon 
that  matter  there  can  be  none,  and  we  may  boldly  appropriate 
the  legacies  which  He  has  left  for  His  people.  Happy  they 
who  see  their  title  to  heavenly  blessings  assured  to  them  by  a 
dying  Saviour.  But  has  this  blood  no  voice  to  us  ?  Does  it 
not  bid  us  sanctify  ourselves  unto  Him  by  whom  we  have  been 
redeemed  ?  Does  it  not  call  us  to  newness  of  life,  and  incite 
us  to  entire  consecration  to  the  Lord  ?  Oh  that  the  power  of 
the  blood  might  be  known,  and  felt  in  us  this  night ! 
27 


314  EVENING    READINGS.  No7.   7. 


"And  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  Me."  —  Acts  i.  8. 

tN  order  to  learn  how  to  discharge  youV  duty  as  a  wit- 
(^^  ness  for  Christ,  look  at  His  example.  He  is  always 
witnessing  :  by  the  well  of  Samaria,  or  in  the  Temple 
of  Jerusalem  :  by  the  lake  of  Gennesaret,  or  on  the  moun- 
tain's brow.  He  is  witnessing  night  and  d.ay  ;  His  mighty 
prayers  are  as  vocal  to  God  as  His  daily  services.  He  wit- 
nesses under  all  circumstances  ;  Scribes  and  Pharisees  cannot 
shut  His  mouth  ;  even  before  Pilate  He  witnesses  a  good  con- 
fession. He  witnesses  so  clearly  and  distinctly  that  there  is 
no  mistake  in  Him.  Christian,  make  your  life  a  clear  testi- 
mony. Be  you  as  the  brook  wherein  you  may  see  every  stone 
at  the  bottom  —  not  as  the  muddy  creek,  of  which  you  only 
see  the  surface  —  but  clear  and  transparent,  so  that  your 
heart's  love  to  God  and  man  may  be  visible  to  all.  You  need 
not  say,  "  I  am  true  :  "  be  true.  Boast  not  of  integrity,  but 
be  upright.  So  shall  your  testimony  be  such  that  men  cannot 
help  seeing  it.  Never,  for  fear  of  feeble  man,  restrain  your 
witness.  Your  lips  have  been  warmed  with  a  coal  from  off  the 
altar ;  let  them  speak  as  like  heaven-touched  lips  should  do. 
"  In  the  morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the  evening  withhold 
not  thine  hand."  Watch  not  the  clouds,  consult  not  the  wind 
—  in  season  and  out  of  season  witness  for  the  Saviour,  and 
if  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  for  Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's 
jou  shall  endure  suffering  in  any  shape,  shrink  not,  but  re- 
joice in  the  honor  thus  conferred  upon  you,  that  you  are 
counted  worthy  to  suffer  with  your  Lord ;  and  joy  also  in 
this — that  your  sufferings,  your  losses  and  persecutions, 
shall  make  you  a  platform,  from  which  the  more  vigorously 
and  with  greater  power  you  shall  witness  for  Christ  Jesus. 
Study  your  great  Exemplar,  and  be  filled  with  His  Spirit. 
Remember  that  you  need  much  teaching,  much  upholding, 
much  grace,  and  much  humility,  if  your  witnessing  is  to  be 
to  your  Master's  glory. 


No  7.  8.  EVENING    READINGS.  SI  5 


"  The  Master  saith,  Where  is  ihc  f^nest-chamhcr,  w7iei-e  I  shall  eat 
the  passover  with  Mij  disciples?"  —  Mark  xiv.  14. 

■ERUSALEM  at  the  time  of  the  passover  was  one  great 
>'  inn  ;  each  householder  had  invited  his  own  friends, 
but  no  one  had  invited  the  Saviour,  and  He  had  no 
dwelling  of  His  own.  It  was  by  His  own  supernatural  power 
that  He  found  Himself  an  upper  room  in  which  to  keep  the 
feast.  It  is  so  even  to  this  day  —  Jesus  is  not  received 
among  the  sons  of  men  save  only  where  by  His  supernatural 
power  and  grace  He  makes  the  heart  anew.  All  doors  are 
open  enough  to  the  prince  of  darkness,  but  Jesus  must  clear 
a  way  for  Himself  or  lodge  in  the  streets.  It  was  through 
the  mysterious  power  exerted  by  our  Lord  that  the  house- 
holder raised  no  question,  but  at  once  cheerfully  and  joy- 
fully opened  his  guest-chamber.  Who  he  was,  and  what  he 
was,  we  do  not  know,  but  he  readily  accepted  the  honor 
which  the  Redeemer  proposed  to  confer  upon  him.  In  like 
manner  it  is  still  discovered  who  are  the  Lord's  chosen,  and 
who  are  not ;  for  when  the  gospel  comes  to  some,  they  fight 
against  it,  and  will  not  have  it ;  but  where  men  receive  it,  wel- 
coming it,  this  is  a  sure  indication  that  there  is  a  secret  work 
going  on  in  the  soul,  and  that  God  has  chosen  them  unto 
eternal  life.  Are  you  willing,  dear  reader,  to  receive  Christ? 
then  there  is  no  difficulty  in  the  way ;  Christ  will  be  your 
guest ;  His  own  power  is  working  with  you,  making  you  will- 
ing. What  an  honor  to  entertain  the  Son  of  God  !  The 
heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  Him,  and  yet  He  conde- 
scends to  find  a  house  within  our  hearts  !  We  are  not  worthy 
that  He  should  come  under  our  roof,  but  what  an  unutterable 
privilege  when  He  condescends  to  enter  !  for  then  He  makes 
a  feast,  and  causes  us  (o  feast  with  Him  upon  royal  dainties  ; 
we  sit  at  a  banquet  where  the  viands  are  immortal,  and  give 
immortality  to  those  who  feed  thereon.  Blessed  among  tha 
sons  of  Adam  is  he  who  entertains  the  angels'  Lord. 


316  EVENING    HEADINGS,  NoV.  9. 

" Ilis place  of  defence  sJiall  be  the  munitions  of  rocks:  bread  shall 
be  (liven  him:  his  waters  shall  be  sure."  —  Isaiah  xxxiii.  16. 

3iS^0  you  doubt,  0  Christian,  do  you  doubt  as  to  whether 
^i^v«  ^^^  ^^'^'  fulfil  His  promise  ?  Shall  the  munitions  of 
*^^^^^  rock  be  carried  by  storm  ?  Shall  the  storehouses  of 
heaven  fail  ?  Do  you  think  that  your  heavenly  Father,  though 
lie  knoweth  that  you  have  need  of  food  and  raiment,  will  yet 
forget  you  ?  When  not  a  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground  with- 
out your  Father,  and  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all 
numbered,  will  you  mistrust  and  doubt  Him  ?  Perhaps  your 
affliction  will  continue  upon  you  till  you  dare  to  trust  your 
God,  and  then  it  shall  end.  Full  many  there  be  who  have 
been  tried  and  sore  vexed  till  at  last  they  have  been  driven 
in  sheer  desperation  to  exercise  faith  in  God,  and  the  mo- 
ment of  their  faith  ha?  been  the  instant  of  their  deliverance  ; 
they  have  seen  whether  God  would  keep  His  promise  or  not. 
Oh,  I  pray  you,  doubt  Him  no  longer  !  Please  not  Satan, 
and  vex  not  yourself  by  indulging  any  more  those  hard 
thoughts  of  God.  Think  it  not  a  light  matter  to  doubt  Jeho- 
vah. Remember,  it  is  a  sin  ;  and  not  a  little  sin  either,  but 
in  the  highest  degree  criminal.  The  angels  never  doubt 
Him,  nor  the  devils  either :  we  alone,  out  of  all  the  beings 
that  God  has  fashioned,  dishonor  Him  by  unbelief,  and  tar- 
nish His  honor  by  mistrust.  Shame  upon  us  for  this  !  Our 
God  does  not  deserve  to  be  so  basely  suspected ;  in  our  past 
life  we  have  proved  Him  to  be  true  and  faithful  to  His  word, 
and  with  so  many  instances  of  His  love  and  of  His  kindness 
as  we  have  received,  and  are  daily  receiving,  at  His  hands, 
it  is  base  and  inexcusable  that  we  sufier  a  doubt  to  sojourn 
within  our  heart.  May  we  henceforth  wage  constant  war 
against  doubts  of  our  God  —  enemies  to  our  peace  and  to 
His  honor;  and  with  an  unstaggering  faith  believe  that  what 
He  has  promised  He  will  also  perform.  "Lord,  I  believe; 
kelp  T\\ou  miue  unbelief." 


Nov.    10.  EVENING    KEADINGS.  317 


"  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  Master." 
Matthew  X.  25. 

^0  one  will  dispute  this  statement,  for  it  would  be  un- 
f{^  seemly  for  the  servant  to  be  exalted  above  his  Mas- 
"^  ter !  When  our  Lord  was  on  earth,  what  was  the 
treaimeut  He  received  ?  Were  Ilis  claims  acknowledged. 
His  instructions  followed,  His  perfections  worshipped,  by 
those  whom  He  came  to  bless  ?  No  ;  "  He  was  despised  and 
rejected  of  men."  Outside  the  camp  was  His  place :  cross- 
bearing  was  His  occupation.  Did  the  world  yield  Him  solace 
and  rest?  "  Foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have 
nests ;  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay  His  head." 
This  inhospitable  country  afforded  Him  no  shelter :  it  cast 
Him  out  and  crucified  Him.  Such  —  if  you  are  a  follower  of 
Jesus,  and  maintain  a  consistent,  Christ-like  walk  and  con- 
versation —  you  must  expect  to  be  the  lot  of  that  part  of  your 
spiritual  life  which,  in  its  outward  development,  comes  under 
the  observation  of  men.  They  will  treat  it  as  they  treated 
the  Saviour  —  they  will  despise  it.  Dream  not  that  worldlings 
will  admire  you,  or  that  the  more  holy  and  the  more  Christ- 
like you  are,  the  more  peaceably  people  will  act  towards  you. 
They  prized  not  the  polished  gem  ;  how  should  they  value  the 
jewel  in  the  rough  ?  "  If  they  have  called  the  Master  of  the 
house  Beelzebub,  how  much  more  shall  they  call  them  of  His 
household  !  "  If  we  were  more  like  Christ,  we  should  be  more 
\  ated  by  His  enemies.  It  were  a  sad  dishonor  to  a  child  of 
God  to  be  the  world's  favorite.  It  is  a  very  ill  omen  to  hear 
a  wicked  world  clap  its  hands  and  shout  "  Well  done"  to  the 
Christian  man.  He  may  begin  to  look  to  his  character,  and 
wonder  whether  he  has  not  been  doing  wrong,  when  the  un- 
righteous give  him  their  approbation.  Let  us  be  true  to  our 
Master,  and  have  no  friendship  with  a  blind  and  bas"  world 
which  scorns  and  rejects  Him.  Far  be  it  from  us  tc  &eek  a 
erown  of  honor  where  our  Lord  Ibu  d  a  coronet  of  thoru. 
•27* 


818  EVENING    KEADINGS.  NoV.   11. 

"  lie  shall  choose  our  inheritance  for  us." — Psalm  xlvii.  4, 

^^^CELIEYER,  if  your  inheritance  be  a  lowly  one,  you 
rii/il^^^  should  be  satisfied  with  your  earthly  portion  ;  for  you 
^Oj*.ev  jjjj^y  j.ggt  assured  that  it  is  the  fittest  for  you..  Un- 
erring wisdom  ordained  your  lot,  and  selected  for  you  the 
eafest  and  best  condition.  A  ship  of  large  tonnage  is  to  be 
brought  up  the  river ;  now,  in  one  part  of  the  stream  there  ia 
a  sand-bank ;  should  some  one  ask,  "  Why  does  the  captain 
steer  through  the  deep  part  of  the  channel,  and  deviate  so 
much  from  a  straight  line  ?  "  his  answer  would  be,  "  Because 
[  should  not  get  my  vessel  into  harbor  at  all  if  I  did  not  keep 
to  the  deep  channel."  So,  it  may  be,  you  would  run  aground 
and  suifer  shipwreck,  if  your  divine  Captain  did  not  steer  you 
*.nto  the  depths  of  affliction,  where  waves  of  trouble  follow 
each  other  in  quick  succession.  Some  plants  die  if  they  have 
too  much  sunshine.  It  may  be  that  you  are  planted  where 
you  get  but  little ;  you  are  put  there  by  the  loving  Husband- 
man, because  only  in  that  situation  will  you  bring  forth  fruil 
unto  perfection.  Remember  this  :  had  any  other  condition 
been  better  for  you  than  the  one  in  which  you  are,  divine 
love  would  have  put  you  there.  You  are  placed  by  God  :"i 
the  most  suitable  circumstances,  and  if  you  had  the  choosing 
of  your  lot,  you  would  soon  cry,  "  Lord,  choose  my  inherit- 
ance for  me,  for  by  my  self-will  I  am  pierced  through  with 
many  sorrows."  Be  content  with  such  things  as  you  have, 
since  the  Lord  has  ordered  all  things  for  your  good.  Take 
up  your  own  daily  cross  ;  it  is  the  burden  best  suited  for  your 
shoulder,  and  will  prove  most  effective  to  make  you  perfect 
in  every  good  word  and  work  to  the  glory  of  God.  Down, 
busy  self  and  proud  impatience  ;  it  is  not  for  you  tc  choose, 
but  for  the  Lord  of  Love  ! 

"Trials  must  and  will  berall  — 
But  with  Immblc  faith  to  see 
Love  inscribed  upon  thcni  all 
This  IB  happiness  to  me." 


iJoV.    12.  EVENING    KEADINGS.  319 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  lie  Trent  out  into  a  vtoun- 
tain  to  praij.  and  continued  all  ni<jht  in  prayer  to  God."  —  Luke 
vi.  12. 

^S^^F  ever  one  of  woman  born  niiirlit  have  lived  without 
S^^l^  prayer,  it  was  our  spotlefss,  perfect  Lord,  and  yet 
l?/fliRlas<  uQf(,j  ^y^g  cyer  so  much  in  supplication  as  He  !  Such 
was  His  love  to  His  Father,  that  He  loved  much  to  be  in 
communion  with  Him  ;  such  His  love  for  His  people,  that 
he  desired  to  be  much  in  intercession  for  them.  The  fact  oi 
this  eminent  prayerfulness  of  Jesus  is  a  lesson  for  us —  He 
hath  given  us  an  example  that  we  may  follow  in  His  steps. 
TIte  time  He  chose  was  admirable  ;  it  was  the  hour  of  silence, 
when  the  crowd  would  not  disturb  Him  ;  the  time  of  inaction, 
when  all  but  Himself  had  ceased  to  labor ;  and  the  season 
when  slumber  made  men  forget  their  woes  and  cease  their 
applications  to  Him  for  relief.  While  others  found  rest  in 
sleep.  He  refreshed  Himself  with  prayer.  The  place  was  also 
well  selected.  He  was  alone  where  none  would  intrude, 
where  none  could  observe  :  thus  was  He  free  from  Pharisaic 
ostentation  and  vulgar  interruption.  Those  dark  and  silent 
hills  were  a  fit  oratory  for  the  Son  of  God.  Heaven  and 
earth  in  midnight  stillness  heard  the  groans  and  sighs  of  the 
mysterious  Being  in  whom  both  worlds  were  blended.  The 
continuance  of  His  pleadings  is  remarkable  ;  the  long  watch- 
es were  not  too  long  ;  the  cold  wind  did  not  chill  His  devo- 
tions ;  the  grim  darkness  did  not  darken  His  faith,  or  lone- 
liness check  His  importunity.  We  cannot  watch  with  Him 
one  hour,  but  He  watched  for  us  whole  nights.  The  occasion 
for  this  prayer  is  notable  ;  it  was  after  His  enemies  had  been 
enraged  —  prayer  was  His  refuge  and  solace  ;  it  was  before 
He  sSnt  forth  the  twelve  apostles  —  prayer  was  the  gate  of 
His  enterprise,  the  herald  of  His  new  work.  Should  we  not 
learn  from  Jesus  to  resort  to  special  prayer  when  we  are 
under  peculiar  trial,  or  contemplate  fresh  endeavors  for  the 
Master's  glory  ?     Lord  Jesus,  teach  us  to  pray. 


320  EVENING    READINGS.  NoV.    13. 

"  Men  ou^ht  altcays  to  pray."  —  Luke  xviii.  1. 

■V^F  men  ought  always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint,  much 
more  Christian  men.  Jesus  has  sent  His  church  into 
the  world  on  the  same  errand  upon  which  He  Him- 
self came,  and  this  mission  includes  intercession.  What  if  I 
say  that  the  church  is  the  world's  priest  ?  Creation  is  dumb» 
but  the  church  is  to  find  a  mouth  for  it.  It  is  the  church's 
high  privilege  to  pray  with  acceptance.  The  door  of  grace 
is  always  open  for  her  petitions,  and  they  never  return 
empty-handed.  The  veil  was  rent  for  her,  the  blood  was 
sprinkled  upon  the  altar  for  her,  Grod  constantly  invites  her 
to  ask  what  she  wills.  Will  she  refuse  the  privilege  which 
angels  might  envy  her  ?  Is  she  not  the  bride  of  Christ  ?  May 
sks  not  go  in  unto  her  king  at  every  hour  ?  Shall  she  allow 
the  precious  privilege  to  be  unused  ?  The  church  always  has 
need  for  prayer.  There  are  always  some  in  her  midst  who 
are  declining,  or  falling  into  open  sin.  There  are  lambs  to 
be  prayed  for,  that  they  may  be  carried  in  Christ's  boeom  ; 
the  strong,  lest  they  grow  presumptuous,  and  the  weak,  lest 
they  become  despairing.  If  we  kept  up  prayer-meetings 
four-and-twenty  hours  in  the  day,  all  the  days  in  the  year, 
we  might  never  be  without  a  special  subject  for  supplication. 
Are  we  ever  without  the  sick  and  the  poor,  the  afflicted  and 
the  wavering  ?  Are  we  ever  without  those  who  seek  the 
conversion  of  relatives,  the  reclaiming  of  backsliders,  or  the 
salvation  of  the  depraved  ?  Nay,  with  congregations  con- 
stantly gathering,  with  ministers  always  preaching,  with  mil- 
lions of  sinners  lying  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ;  in  a 
country  over  which  the  darkness  of  Romanism  is  certainly 
descending ;  in  a  world  full  of  idols,  cruelties,  devilries,  if 
the  church  doth  not  pray,  how  shall  she  excuse  her  base 
neglect  of  the  commission  of  her  loving  Lord  ?  Let  the 
church  be  constant  in  supplication,  let  every  private  believer 
oast  his  mite  of  prayer  into  the  treasury. 


Mov.   14.  r.VF.NINO    RKADINGS.  321 


•«  And  Lahnn  said.  It  must  not  be  so  done  in  our  country,  to  givt 
tfie  younger  before  the Jirst-boni."  —  Genesis  xxix.  26. 

^V^l^^  do  not  excuse  Laban  for  his  dishonesty,  but  we 
if  rJi  scruple  not  to  learn  from  the  custom  which  he  quoted 
^**^^  as  his  excuse.  There  are  some  things  which  must 
be  taken  in  order,  and  if  we  would  win  the  second  we  must 
Bccure  the  first.  The  second  may  be  the  more  lovely  in  our 
eyes,  but  the  rule  of  the  heavenly  country  must  stand,  and 
the  elder- must  be  married  first.  For  instance,  laany  men 
desire  the  beautiful  and  well-favored  Rachel  of  joy  and  peace 
in  believing,  but  they  must  first  be  wedded  to  the  tender- 
eyed  Leah  of  repentance.  Every  one  falls  in  love  with  hap- 
piness, and  many  would  cheerfur.y  serve  twice  seven  years 
to  enjoy  it,  but  according  to  the  rule  of  the  Lord's  kingdom, 
'  the  Leah  of  real  holiness  must  be  beloved  of  our  soul  before 
the  Rachel  of  true  happiness  can  be  attained.  Heaven  stands 
not  first,  but  second,  and  only  by  persevering  to  the  end  can 
we  win  a  portion  in  it.  The  cross  must  be  carried  before 
the  crown  can  be  worn.  We  must  follow  our  Lord  in  His 
humiliation,  or  we  shall  never  rest  with  Him  in  glory. 

My  soul,  what  sayest  thou  ?  Art  thou  so  vain  as  to  hop  j 
to  break  through  the  heavenly  rule  ?  Dost  thou  hope  for  re- 
ward without  labor,  or  honor  without  toil  ?  Dismiss  the  idle 
expectation,  and  be  content  to  take  the  ill-favored^hings  for 
che  sake  of  the  sweet  love  of  Jesus,  which  will  recompense 
thee  for  ail.  In  such  a  spirit,  laboring  and  suffering,  thou 
wilt  find  bitters  grow  sweet,  and  hard  things  easy.  Like  Ja- 
cob, thy  years  of  service  will  seem  unto  thee  but  a  few  days 
for  the  love  thou  hast  to  Jesus  ;  and  when  the  dear  hour  of 
the  wedding  feast  shall  come,  all  thy  toils  shall  be  as  thoufrh 
they  had  never  been  —  an  hour  with  Jesus  will  make  up  for 
ages  of  pain  and  labor. 

.TesuR,  to  win  Tliyself  so  fair. 
Thy  cross  1  will  with  gladness  bear ; 
Since  so  the  rules  of  hoiiven  ordaia, 
The  first  I'll  wed  the  next  to  giun 


322  EVENING    HEADINGS.  NoV.   15. 

"  Strengthen,  0  Ood,  that  which  Tliou  hast  wrought  for  us." 
Psalm  Ixviii.  28. 

THT  is  our  wisdom,  as  well  as  our  necessity,  to  beseech 
God  continually  to  strengthen  that  which  He  has 
wrought  in  us.  It  is  because  of  their  neglect  in  this, 
that  many  Christians  may  blame  themselves  for  those  trials 
and  afflictions  of  spirit  which  arise  from  unbelief.  It  is  true 
that  Satan  seeks  to  flood  the  fair  garden  of  the  heart  and 
make  it  a  scene  of  desolation,  but  it  is  also  true  that  many 
Christians  leave  open  the  sluice-gates  themselves,  and  let  in 
the  dreadful  deluge  through  carelessness  and  want  of  prayer 
to  their  strong  Helper.  We  often  forget  that  the  Author  of 
our  faith  must  be  the  Preserver  of  it  also.  The  lamp  which 
was  burning  in  the  temple  was  never  allowed  to  go  out,  but 
it  had  to  be  daily  replenished  with  fresh  oil ;  in  like  manner, 
our  faith  can  only  live  by  being  sustained  with  the  oil  of 
grace,  and  we  can  only  obtain  this  from  God  Himself.  Fool- 
ish virgins  we  shall  prove,  if  we  do  not  secure  the  necvled 
sustenance  for  our  lamps.  He  who  built  the  world  upholds 
it,  or  it  would  fall  in  one  tremendous  crash  ;  He  who  made 
us  Christians  must  maintain  us  by  His  Spirit,  or  our  ruin 
will  be  speedy  and  final.  Let  us,  then,  evening  by  evening, 
go  to  our  Lord  for  the  grace  and  strength  we  need.  We 
have  a  strong  argument  to  plead,  for  it  is  His  own  work  of 
^?-ace  which  we  ask  Him  to  strengthen  —  ^Hhal  which  Thou 
hast  wrought  for  us."  Think  you  He  will  fail  to  protect  and 
sustain  that  ?  Only  let  your  faith  take  hold  of  His  strength, 
and  all  the  powers  of  darkness,  led  on  by  the  master  fiend  of 
hell,  cannot  cast  a  cloud  or  shadow  over  your  joy  and  peace. 
Why  faint  when  you  may  be  strong  ?  Why  suflfer  defeat 
when  you  may  conquer  ?  Oh  !  take  your  wavering  faith  and 
drooping  graces  to  Bim  who  can  revive  and  replenish  them, 
and  earnestly  pray,  "  Strengthen,  0  God,  that  which  Thou 
hast  wrought  for  us." 


Nov.    16.  EVENINO    KEADINGS.  323 


"  Thine  eyes  shall  see  the  King  in  His  beauty."  —  Is.  xxxiii.  17. 


1' 


^IIE  more  you  know  about  Christ,  the  less  will  you  be 
satisfied  with  superficial  views  of  Ilim  ;  and  the  nioro 
*^^  deeply  you  study  His  transactions  in  tlie  eternal  cov- 
enant, His  engageinents  on  your  behalf  as  the  eternal  Suro- 
ty,  and  the  fulness  of  His  grace  which  shines  in  all  His 
offices,  the  more  truly  will  you  see  the  King  in  His  beauty. 
Be  much  in  such  outlooks.  Long  more  and  more  to  see 
Jesus.  Meditation  and  contemplation  are  often  like  windows 
of  agate,  and  gates  of  carbuncle,  through  which  we  behold 
the  Redeemer.  Meditation  puts  the  telescope  to  the  eye, 
and  enables  us  to  see  Jesus  after  a  better  sort  than  we  could 
have  seen  Him  if  we  had  lived  in  the  days  of  His  flesh. 
Would  that  our  conversation  were  more  in  heaven,  and  that 
we  were  more  taken  up  with  the  person,  \^\e  work,  the  beau- 
ty of  our  incarnate  Lord.  More  meditation,  and  the  beauty 
of  the  King  would  flash  upon  us  with  more  resplendence. 
Beloved,  it  is  very  probable  that  we  shall  have  such  a  sight 
of  our  glorious  King  as  we  never  had  before,  when  we  come  to 
die.  Many  saints,  in  dying,  have  looked  up  from  amidst  the 
stormy  waters,  and  have  seen  Jesus  walking  on  the  waves  of 
the  sea,  and  heard  Him  say,  "  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid."  Ah, 
yes  !  when  the  tenement  begins  to  shake,  and  the  clay  falls 
away,  we  see  Christ  through  the  rifts,  and  between  the  raft- 
ers the  sunlight  of  heaven  comes  streaming  in.  But  if  we 
want  to  see,  face  to  face,  the  "  King  in  his  beauty,"  we  must 
go  to  heaven  for  the  sight,  or  the  King  must  come  here  in 
person.  Oh  that  he  would  come  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  ! 
He  is  our  Husband,  and  we  are  widowed  by  His  absence  ; 
He  is  our  Brother  dear  and  fair,  and  we  are  lonely  without 
Him.  Thick  veils  and  clouds  hang  between  our  souls  and 
theii  true  life  :  when  shall  the  day  break  and  the  shadows 
flee  away  ?     Oh,  long-expected  day,  begin  ! 


324  Byasiyc  readings.  Nov.  17. 

"  He  that  cleaveth  tcood  shall  be  endangered  thereby." 
Ecclesiastes  x.  9. 

OPPRESSORS  may  get  their  will  of  poor  and  needy 
I^A  men  as  easily  as  they  can  split  logs  of  wood,  but 
'^^^^'  they  had  better  mind,  for  it  is  a  dangerous  business, 
and  a  splinter  from  a  tree  has  often  killed  the  woodman. 
Jesus  is  persecuted  in  every  injured  saint,  and  He  is  mighty  to 
avenge  His  beloved  ones.  Success  in  treading  down  the  poor 
and  needy  is  a  thing  to  be  trembled  at ;  if  thero  be  no  dan- 
ger to  persecutors  here,  there  will  be  great  danger  hereafter. 
To  cleave  wood  is  a  comvioriy  every-day  business,  and  yet  it 
has  its  dangers  ;  so  then,  reader,  there  are  dangers  connect- 
ed with  your  calling  and  daily  life  which  it  will  be  well  for 
you  to  be  aware  of.  We  refer  not  to  hazards  by  flood  and 
field,  or  by  disease  and  sudden  death,  but  to  perils  of  a  spir- 
itual sort.  Your  occupation  may  be  as  humble  as  log-split- 
ting, and  yet  the  devil  can  tempt  you  in  it.  You  may  be  a 
domestic  servant,  a  farm  laborer,  or  a  mechanic,  and  you 
may  be  greatly  screened  from  temptations  to  the  grosser 
vices,  and  yet  some  secret  sin  may  do  you  damage.  Those 
who  dwell  at  home,  and  mingle  not  with  the  rough  world, 
may  yet  be  endangered  by  their  very  seclusion.  Nowhere  is 
he  safe  who  thinks  himself  so.  Pride  may  enter  a  poor 
man's  heart ;  avarice  may  reign  in  a  cottager's  bosom  ;  un- 
cleauness  may  venture  into  the  quietest  home ;  and  anger, 
and  envy,  and  malice,  may  insinuate  themselves  into  the 
most  rural  abode.  Even  in  speaking  a  few  words  to  a  ser- 
vant we  may  sin  ;  a  little  purchase  at  a  shop  may  be  the 
first  link  in  a  chain  of  temptations  ;  the  mere  looking  out  of 
a  window  may  be  the  beginning  of  evil.  0  Lord,  how  ex- 
posed we  are  !  How  shall  we  be  secured  !  To  keep  our- 
selves is  work  too  hard  for  us  :  only  Thou  Thyself  art  able 
tc  ^reserve  us  in  such  a  world  of  evils.  Spread  Thy  wings 
over  us,  and  we,  like  little  chickens,  will  cower  down  beneath 
Thee,  and  feel  ourselves  safe  ! 


Nov.    18.  EVENING    REAPINGS.  325 


"  Thou  art  /"om  everlasting."  —  l*salm  xciii.  2. 

p?:^^HRIST  is  Everlasting,  Of  Him  we  may  si  g  with 
^1^  David,  "  Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  forever  and  ever." 
Rejoice,  believer,  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yester- 
day, to-day,  and  forever.  Jesus  always  was.  The  B?  oe  born 
in  Bethlehem  was  united  to  the  Word,  which  was  in  the  be- 
ginning, by  whom  all  things  were  made.  The  title  ty  which 
Christ  revealed  Himself  to  John  in  Patr.\os  was,  "  Him  which 
is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come."  If  He  were  not 
God  from  everlasting,  we  could  not  so  devoutly  lo'Vi"  Him  ; 
we  could  not  feel  that  He  had  any  share  in  the  etc;  al  love 
which  is  the  fountain  of  all  covenant  blessings ;  but  ."cce  He 
was  from  all  eternity  with  the  Father,  we  trace  the  ^fream  of 
divine  love  to  Himself  equally  with  His  Father  and  the  blessed 
Spirit.  As  our  Lord  always  loas,  so  also  He  is  for  evermore. 
Jesus  is  not  dead  ;  "  He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for 
us."  Resort  to  Him  in  all  your  times  of  need,  for  He  is 
waiting  to  bless  you  still.  Moreover,  Jesus  our  Lord  ever 
shall  he.  If  God  should  spare  your  life  to  fulfil  your  full  day 
of  threescore  years  and  ten,  you  will  find  that  His  cleansing 
fountain  is  still  opened,  and  His  precious  blood  has  not  lost 
its  power  ;  you  shall  find  that  the  Priest  who  filled  the  heal- 
ing fount  with  His  own  blood,  lives  to  purge  you  from  all  in- 
iquity. When  only  your  last  battle  remains  to  be  fought,  you 
shall  find  that  the  hand  of  your  conquering  Captain  has  not 
grown  feeble  —  the  living  Saviour  shall  cheer  the  dying  saint. 
When  you  enter  heaven,  you  shall  find  Him  there  bearing 
the  dew  of  His  youth  ;  and,  through  eternity,  the  Lord  Jesus 
shall  still  remain  the  perennial  spring  of  joy,  and  life,  and 
glory  to  His  people.  Living  waters  may  you  draw  from  this 
sacred  well .  Jesus  always  was,  He  always  is.  Ho  always 
shall  be.  He  is  eternal  in  all  His  attributes,  in  all  His  of- 
fices, in  all  His  might,  and  willingness  to  bless,  comfoit. 
guard,  and  crown  His  chosen  poDple. 
28 


S26  ETENING    EEADIXGS.  Nov.   19. 

"  Oh  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  Him ! "  —  Job  xxiii.  3. 

I^N  Job's  uttermost  extremity  he  cried  after  the  Lord. 

^^  The  longing  desire  of  an  afflicted  child  of  God  ia 
^^  once  more  to  see  his  Father's  face.  His  first  prayet 
is  not  "  Oh  that  I  might  be  healed  of  the  disease  which  no\v 
festers  in  every  part  of  my  body  ! "  nor  even  "  Oh  that  I 
might  see  my  children  restored  from  the  jaws  of  the  grave,  and 
my  property  once  more  brought  from  the  hand  of  the  spoiler  !  " 
but  the  first  and  uppermost  cry  is,  "  Oh  that  I  knew  where  I 
might  find  Him,  who  is  my  Grod  !  that  I  might  come  even  to 
His  seat !  "  God's  children  run  home  when  the  storm  comes 
on.  It  is  the  heaven-born  instinct  of  a  gracious  soul  to  seek 
shelter  from  all  ills  beneath  the  wings  of  Jehovah.  "  He 
that  hath  made  his  refuge  God,"  might  serve  as  the  title  of 
a  true  believer.  A  hypocrite,  when  afflicted  by  God,  resents 
the  infliction,  and,  like  a  slave,  would  run  from  the  Master 
who  has  scourged  him  ;  but  not  so  the  true  heir  of  heaven  ; 
he  kisses  the  hand  which  smote  him,  and  seeks  shelter  from 
the  rod  in  the  bosom  of  the  God  who  frowned  upon  him. 
Job's  desire  to  commune  with  God  was  intensified  by  the 
failure  of  all  other  sources  of  consolation.  The  patriarch 
turned  away  from  his  sorry  friends,  and  looked  up  to  the  ce 
lestial  throne,  just  as  a  traveller  turns  from  his  empty  skin- 
bottle,  and  betakes  himself  with  all  speed  to  the  well.  He 
bids  farewell  to  earth-born  hopes,  and  cries,  "  Oh  that  I  knew 
where  I  might  find  my  God  !  "  Nothing  teaches  us  so  much 
the  preciousness  of  the  Creator,  as  when  we  learn  the  empti- 
ness of  all  besides.  Turning  away  with  bitter  scorn  from 
earth's  hives,  where  we  find  no  honey,  but  many  sharp  stings, 
we  rejoice  in  Him  whose  faithful  word  is  sweeter  than  honey 
or  the  honeycomb.  In  every  trouble  we  should  first  seek  to 
realize  God's  presence  with  us.  Only  let  us  enjoy  His  smile, 
and  we  can  bear  our  daily  cross  with  a  willing  heart  for  His 
dear  sake. 


Nov.  20.  EVENING    KEADINGS.  827 


♦*  The  coiiio-  are  but  a  fcehlefvlk,  yd  make  they  their  houses  in  th« 
rocks."  —  Proverbs  xxx.  20. 

^^i%O^SClOJ]S  of  their  own  natural  dcfencclcssness,  the 


ICI  '^^  conies  resort  to  burrows  in  the  rocks,  and  are  secure 
in  their  cueniies.  My  heart,  be  willing  to  gather 
•  lesson  from  these  feeble  folk.  Thou  art  as  weak  and  as 
exposed  to  peril  as  the  timid  cony;  be  as  wise  to  seek  a  shel- 
ter. My  best  security  is  within  the  munitions  of  an  immu- 
table Jehovah,  where  Ilis  unalterable  promises  stand  like 
giant  walls  of  rock.  It  will  be  well  with  thee,  my  heart,  if 
thou  canst  always  hide  thyself  in  the  bulwarks  of  His  glori- 
ous attributes,  all  of  which  are  guarantees  of  safety  for  those 
who  put  their  trust  in  Ilim.  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  I  have  so  done,  and  have  found  myself  like  David  in 
Adullam,  safe  from  the  cruelty  of  my  enemy  ;  I  have  not 
now  to  tind  out  the  blessedness  of  the  man  who  puts  his  trust 
in  the  Lord,  for  long  ago,  when  Satan  and  my  sins  pursued 
me,  I  fled  to  the  cleft  of  the  rock  Christ  Jesus,  and  in  His 
riven  side  1  found  a  delightful  resting-place.  My  heart,  run 
to  Him  anew  to-night,  whatever  thy  present  grief  may  be  ; 
Jesus  feels  for  thee  ;  Jesus  consoles  thee  ;  Jesus  will  help 
thee.  No  monarch  in  his  impregnable  fortress  is  more  se- 
cure than  the  cony  in  his  rocky  burrow.  The  master  of  ten 
thousand  chariots  is  not  one  whit  better  protected  than  the 
little  dweller  in  the  mountain's  cleft.  In  Jesus  the  weak  are 
strong,  and  the  defenceless  safe  ;  they  could  not  be  more 
strong  if  they  were  giants,  or  more  safe  if  they  were  in 
heaven.  Faith  gives  to  men  on  earth  the  protection  of  the 
God  of  heaven.  More  they  cannot  need,  and  need  not  wish. 
The  conies  cannot  build  a  castle,  but  they  avail  themselves 
of  what  is  there  already  :  I  cannot  make  myself  a  refuge, 
but  Jesus  has  provided  it.  His  Father  ha'  given  it.  His  Spirit 
has  revealed  it,  and  lo,  again  to-night  I  enter  it,  and  am  safe 
fiom  every  foe. 


828  EVENING    KEADJNGS.  NoV.  21. 

"  Lazarus  was  one  of  them  thai  sat  at  the  table  with  Him." 
John  xii.  2. 

^j^JE  is  to  he  envied.  It  was  well  to  be  Martha  and  serve, 
\^  but  better  to  be  Lazarus  and  commune.  There  are 
times  for  each  purpose,  and  each  is  comely  in  its 
season,  but  none  of  the  trees  of  the  garden  yield  such  cl'jts- 
ters  as  the  vine  of  fellowship.  To  sit  with  Jesus,  to  hear 
His  woi^ds,  to  mark  His  acts,  and  receive  His  smiles,  was 
such  a  favor  as  must  have  made  Lazarus  as  happy  as  the 
augels.  When  it  has  been  our  happy  lot  to  feast  with  our 
Beloved  in  His  banqueting-hall,  we  would  not  have  given 
half  a  sigh  for  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  if  so  much 
breath  could  have  bought  them. 

He  is  to  he  imitated.  It  would  have  been  a  strange  thing 
if  Lazarus  had  not  been  at  the  table  where  Jesus  was,  for  he 
had  been  dead,  and  Jesus  had  raised  him.  For  the  risen 
one  to  be  absent  when  the  Lord  who  gave  him  life  was  at  his 
house,  would  have  been  ungrateful  indeed.  We,  too,  were 
once  dead,  yea,  and  like  Lazarus  stinking  in  the  grave  of 
sin  ;  Jesus  raised  us,  and  by  His  life  we  live  —  can  we  be 
content  lo  live  at  a  distance  from  Ilim  ?  Do  we  omit  to  re- 
member Him  at  His  table,  where  He  deigns  to  feast  with  His 
brethren  ?  Oh,  this  is  cruel  !  It  behooves  us  to  repent,  and 
do  as  He  has  bidden  us,  for  His  least  wish  should  be  law  to 
us.  To  have  lived  without  constant  intercourse  with  one  of 
whom  the  Jews  said,  "  Behold  how  He  loved  him,"  would 
lave  been  disgraceful  to  Lazarus  ;  is  it  excusable  in  us  whom 
Jesus  has  loved  with  an  everlasting  love  ?  To  have  been 
cold  to  Him  who  wept  over  his  lifeless  corpse,  would  have 
argued  great  brutishness  in  Lazarus.  What  does  it  argue  'a 
us,  over  whom  the  Saviour  has  not  only  wept,  but  bled  ? 
Come,  brethren,  who  read  this  portion,  let  us  return  unto 
our  heavenly  Bridegroom,  and  ask  for  His  Spirit  that  we 
Diay  be  on  terms  of  closer  intimacy  with  Him,  and  hence- 
forth sit  at  the  table  with  Him. 


Nov.   22.  EVENING    KEADINGS.  -         329 

"  The  power  of  His  resurrection."  —  Philippians  iii.  10. 

*SHE  doctrine  of  a  risen  Saviour  is  exceedingly  precious. 

^^y  The  resurrection  is  the  corner-stone  of  the  entiio 
building  of  Christianity  Ii  .s  the  key-stone  of  tho 
arch  of  our  salvation.  It  would  ^»ki  a  volume  to  set  fartb 
all  the  etreains  of  living  water  which  flow  from  this  one  sacred 
Kourco,  the  resurrection  of  our  dear  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ ;  but  to  know  that  He  has  risen,  and  to  have  fellowship 
with  Him  as  such  —  communing  with  the  risen  Saviour  by 
possessing  a  risen  life  —  seeing  Him  leave  the  tomb  by  leav- 
ing the  tomb  of  worldliness  ourselves,  this  is  even  still  more 
precious.  The  doctrine  is  the  basis  of  the  experience,  but 
as  the  flower  is  more  lovely  than  the  root,  so  is  the  experi- 
ence of  fellowship  with  the  risen  Saviour  more  lovely  than 
the  doctrine  itself.  1  would  have  you  believe  that  Christ  rose 
from  the  dead  so  as  to  sing  of  it,  and  deriv  >  all  the  conso- 
lation which  it  is  possible  for  you  to  extrac;  from  this  well- 
ascertained  and  well-witnessed  fact  ;  but  I  oeseech  you,  rest 
not  contented  even  there.  Though  you  cannot,  like  the  dis- 
ciples, see  Him  visibly,  yet  I  bid  you  aspire  to  see  Christ 
Jesus  by  the  eye  of  faith  ;  and  though,  like  Mary  Magda- 
lene, you  may  not  "  touch  "  Him,  yet  r  ay  you  be  privilegi^d 
to  converse  with  Him,  and  to  know  'jiat  He  is  risen,  you 
yourselves  being  risen  in  Him  to  ner  aess  of  life.  To  know 
a  crucified  Saviour  as  having  crucif  jd  all  my  sins,  is  a  high 
degree  of  knowledge  ;  but  to  kr  /W  a  risen  Saviour  as  hav- 
ing justified  me,  and  to  realize  ihat  He  has  bestowed  upon 
me  new  life,  having  given  jue  to  be  a  new  creature  through 
His  own  newness  of  life,  this  is  a  noble  style  of  experience  : 
short  of  it,  none  ought  to  rest  satisfied.  May  you  both 
"know  Him,  and  the  power  of  His  resurrection."  T)  is 
will  be  a  truly  blessed  beginning  of  a  new  mouth,  and  i 
blessed  ending  too,  if  we  retain  thj  savor  of  it. 
28* 


330  EVENING    READINGS.  NoV.  23. 

•'  Get  thee  up  into  the  high  mountain."  —  Isaiah  xl.  9. 

^I^'^^CIH  believer  should  be  thirsting  for  God,  for  the  liv- 
*  ing  God,  and  longing  to  climb  the  hill  of  the  Lord, 
and  see  Hira  face  to  face.  We  ought  not  to  rest 
content  iu  the  mists  of  the  valley  when  the  summit  of  Tabor 
awaits  us.  My  soul  thirsteth  to  drink  deep  of  the  cup  which 
is  reserved  for  those  who  reach  the  mountain's  brow,  and 
bathe  their  brows  in  heaven.  How  pure  are  the  dews  of  the 
hills,  how  fresh  is  the  mountain  air,  how  rich  the  fare  of  the 
dwellers  aloft,  whose  windows  look  into  the  New  Jerusalem  ! 
Many  saints  are  content  to  live  like  men  in  coal  mines,  who 
see  not  the  sun  ;  they  eat  dust  like  the  serpent  when  they 
might  taste  the  ambrosial  meat  of  angels  ;  they  are  content 
to  wear  the  miner's  garb  when  they  might  put  on  king's 
robes  ;  tears  mar  their  faces  when  they  might  anoint  them 
with  celestial  oil.  Satisfied  I  am  that  many  a  believer  pines 
in  a  dungeon  when  he  might  walk  on  the  palace  roof,  and 
view  the  goodly  land  and  Lebanon.  Rouse  thee,  0  be- 
liever, from  thy  low  condition  !  Cast  away  thy  sloth,  thy 
lethargy,  thy  coldness,  or  whatever  interferes  with  thy  chaste 
and  pure  love  to  Christ,  thy  soul's  Husband.  Make  Him 
the  source,  the  centre,  and  the  circumference  of  all  thy 
soul's  range  of  delight.  What  enchants  thee  into  such 
folly,  as  to  remain  in  a  pit  when  thou  mayst  sit  on  a  throne  ? 
Live  not  in  the  lowlands  of  bondage  now  that  mountain  lib- 
erty is  conferred  upon  thee.  Rest  no  longer  satisfied  with 
thy  dwarfish  attainments,  but  press  forward  to  things  more 
sublime  and  heavenly.  Aspire  to  a  higher,  a  nobler,  a  fullei 
life.     Upward  to  heaven  !     Nearer  to  God  ! 

"  When  wilt  Thou  come  unto  me,  Lord  i 

Oh,  come,  my  Lord  most  dear  ! 

Come  near,  come  nearer,  nearer  still; 

I'm  blest  when  Thou  art  near  " 


Nov.  24.  EVENING    READINGS.  SJl 


"  Yet  a  little  sleep,  a  little  slumber,  a  little  folding  of  the  hands  to 
sleep  :  so  shall  thy  poverty  come  as  one  that  travelleth  ,  and  thy 
want  as  an  armed  man."  —  Proverbs  xxiv.  33,  34. 

^^IIE  worst  of  sluggards  only  ask  for  a  little  slumber , 
h^  tliey  would  be  indignant  if  they  were  accused  of  thor- 
ough idleness.  A  liitle  folding  of  the  hands  to  sleep 
is  all  they  crave,  and  they  have  a  crowd  of  reasoQrS  to  show 
that  this  indulgence  is  a  very  proper  one.  Yet  by  these  littles 
the  day  ebbs  out,  and  the  time  for  labor  is  all  gone,  and  the 
field  is  grown  over  with  thorns.  It  is  by  little  procrastina- 
tions that  men  ruin  their  souls.  They  have  no  intention  to 
delay  for  years  —  a  few  months  will  bring  the  more  con- 
venient season  —  to-morrow,  if  you  will,  they  will  attend  to 
serious  things ;  but  the  present  hour  is  so  occupied  and  al- 
together so  unsuitable,  that  they  beg  to  be  excused.  Like 
sands  from  an  hour-glass,  time  passes,  life  is  wasted  by  drib- 
lets, and  seasons  of  grace  lost  by  little  slumbers.  Oh,  to  be 
wise,  to  catch  the  flying  hour,  to  use  the  moments  on  the 
wing  !  May  the  Lord  teach  us  this  sacred  wisdom,  for  other- 
wise a  poverty  of  the  worst  sort  awaits  us  —  eternal  poverty, 
which  shall  want  even  a  drop  of  water,  and  beg  for  it  in 
vain.  Like  a  traveller  steadily  pursuing  his  journey,  pov- 
erty overtakes  the  slothful,  and  ruin  overthrows  the  unde- 
cided :  each  hour  brings  the  dreaded  pursuer  nearer ;  he 
pauses  not  by  the  way,  for  he  is  on  his  master's  business  and 
must  not  tarry.  As  an  armed  man  enters  with  authority  and 
power,  so  shall  want  come  to  the  idle,  and  death  to  the  im- 
penitent, and  there  will  be  no  escape.  Oh  that  men  were 
wise  betimes,  and  would  seek  diligently  unto  the  Lord  Jesus, 
or  ere  the  solemn  day  shall  dawn  when  it  will  be  too  late  to 
plough  and  to  sow,  too  late  to  repent  and  believe.  In  har- 
Test,  t  is  vain  to  lament  that  the  seed  time  was  neglected. 
As  yet,  faith  and  holy  decision  are  timely.  May  we  obtain 
them  this  night. 


332  EVENING    READINGS.  IVOV.   25. 


"  For  He  saith  to  Moses,  I  icill  have  mercy  on  wh  tm  I  will  havi 
mercy,  and  I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will  have  compas- 
sion."—  Romans  ix.  15. 

9^?^.V?N  these  words  the  Lord  in  the  plainest  manner  claims 
^itl  w  the  right  to  give  or  to  withhold  His  raercj  according 
y/^Rkb^  ^^  jjjg  Q^jj  sovereign  will.  As  the  prerogative  of 
life  and  death  is  vested  in  the  monarch,  so  the  Judge  of  aV 
the  earth  has  a  right  to  spare  or  condemn  the  guilty,  as  maj 
seem  best  in  His  sight.  Men  by  their  sins  have  forfeited 
all  claim  upon  God ;  they  deserve  to  perish  for  their  sins  — 
and  if  they  all  do  so,  they  have  no  ground  for  complaint.  If 
the  Lord  steps  in  to  save  any,  He  may  do  so  if  the  ends  of 
justice  are  not  thwarted;  but  if  He  judges  it  best  to  leave 
the  condemned  to  suffer  the  righteous  sentence,  none  may 
arraign  Him  at  their  bar.  Foolish  and  impudent  are  all 
those  discourses  about  the  rights  of  men  to  be  all  placed  on 
the  same  footing ;  ignorant,  if  not  worse,  are  those  conten- 
tions against  discriminating  grace,  which  are  but  ihe  rebel- 
lions of  proud  human  nature  against  the  crown  and  sceptre 
of  Jehovah.  When  we  are  brought  to  see  our  own  utter 
ruin  and  ill  desert,  and  the  justice  of  the  divine  verdict  against 
sin,  we  no  longer  cavil  at  the  truth  that  the  Lord  is  not  bound 
to  save  us ;  we  do  not  murmur  if  He  chooses  to  save  others, 
as  though  He  were  doing  us  an  injury,  but  feel  that  if  He 
deigns  to  look  upon  us,  it  will  be  His  own  free  act  of  unde- 
served goodness,  for  which  we  shall  forever  bless  His  name  = 
How  shall  those  who  are  the  subjects  of  divine  election 
sufficiently  adore  the  grace  of  God  ?  They  have  no  room  for 
boasiing,  for  sovereignty  most  effectually  excludes  it.  The 
Lord's  will  alone  is  glorified,  and  the  very  notion  of  human 
merit  is  cast  out  to  everlasting  contempt.  There  is  no  more 
humbling  doctrine  in  Scripture  than  that  of  election,  none 
more  promotive  of  gratitude,  and  consequently  none  more 
sanctifying.  Believers  should  not  be  afraid  of  it,  but  ador- 
ingly rejoice  in  i*. 


Nov.   26.  EVENING    READINGS.  333 

•'  Tlteij  shall  r^'oice,  a  id  shall  see  the  plummet  in  the  hand  of  Zerub- 
babel."  —  Zechariah  iv.  10. 


j'l'iViJMALL  things  marked  the  beginning  of  the  work  in 
Vn»7  the  hand  of  Zerubbabel,  but  none  might  despise  it, 
''^-'^  for  the  Lord  had  raised  up  one  who  would  persevere 
antil  th3  headstone  should  be  brought  forth  with  shoutings 
The  plummet  was  in  good  hands.  Here  is  the  comfort  of 
every  believer  in  the  Lord  Jesus ;  let  the  work  of  grace  be 
ever  so  small  in  its  beginnings,  the  plummet  is  in  good  hands  ; 
a  Master  Builder  greater  than  Solomon  has  undertaken  the 
raising  of  the  heavenly  temple,  and  He  will  not  fail  nor  be 
discouraged  till  the  topmost  pinnacle  shall  be  raised.  If  the 
plummet  were  in  the  hand  of  any  merely  human  being,  we 
might  fear  for  the  building,  but  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall 
prosper  in  Jesus'  hand.  The  works  did  not  proceed  irregu- 
larly, and  without  care,  for  the  master^ s  hand  carried  a  good^ 
instrument.  Had  the  walls  been  hurriedly  run  up  without  due 
superintendence,  they  might  have  been  out  of  the  perpendic- 
ular ;  but  the  plummet  was  used  by  the  chosen  overseer. 
Jesus  is  evermore  watching  the  erection  of  His  spiritual  tem- 
ple, that  it  may  be  built  securely  and  well.  We  are  for  haste, 
but  Jesus  is  for  judgment.  He  will  use  the  plummet,  and  that 
which  is  out  of  line  must  come  down,  every  stone  of  it.  Hence 
the  failure  of  many  a  flattering  work,  the  overthrow  of  many 
a  glittering  profession.  It  is  not  for  us  to  judge  the  Lord's 
cliurch,  since  Jesus  has  a  steady  hand,  and  a  true  eye,  and 
can  use  the  plummet  well.  Do  we  not  rejoice  to  see  judg- 
ment left  to  Him  ? 

The  phimv^st  was  in  active  use  —  it  was  in  the  builder's 
hand ;  a  sure  indication  that  he  meant  to  push  on  the  work 
to  completion.  0  Lord  Je?  us,  how  would  we  indeed  be  glad 
if  we  coald  see  Thee  at  Thy  great  work  !  0  Ziona,  the  beau- 
tiful, thj  walls  are  still  in  ruins  !  Ivise,  Thou'  glorious  liuild* 
er,.  and  make  .ler  desolations  to  rejoice  at  Thy  coming. 


i34  EVENING    HEADINGS.  NoV.  27. 

"  Tlie  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riclieh  of  Bis  grace." 

Ephesians  i.  7. 

fl^^^O\]\JD  there  be  a  sweeter  word  in  any  language  than 
'(l  a-il  that  word  "  forgiveness,"  when  it  sounds  in  a  guilty 
^^^^-^-^  sinner's  ear,  like  the  silver  notes  of  jubilee  to  the 
captive  Israelite  ?  Blessed,  forever  blessed  be  that  dear  star 
of  pardon  which  shines  into  the  condemned  cell,  and  gives 
the  perishing  a  gleam  of  hope  amid  the  midnight  of  despair  ? 
Can  it  be  possible  that  sin,  such  sin  as  mine,  can  be  forgiven, 
furgiven  altogether,  and  forever  ?  Hell  is  my  portion  as  a 
feinner  —  there  is  no  possibility  of  my  escaping  from  it  while 
sin  remains  upon  me  —  can  the  load  of  guilt  be  uplifted,  the 
tjrimson  stain  removed  ?  Can  the  adamantine  stones  of  mj 
prison-house  ever  be  loosed  from  their  mortises,  or  the  doors 
be  lifted  from  their  hinges  ?  Jesus  tells  me  that  I  may  yet 
be  clear.  Forever  blessed  be  the  revelation  of  atoning  love, 
which  not  only  tells  me  that  pardon  is  possible,  but  that  it  is 
secured  to  all  who  rest  in  Jesus.  I  have  believed  in  the  ap- 
pointed propitiation,  even  Jesus  crucified,  and  therefore  my 
sins  are  at  this  moment,  and  forever,  forgiven  by  virtue  of 
His  substitutionary  pains  and  death.  What  joy  is  this  ! 
What  bliss  to  be  a  perfectly  pardoned  soul !  My  soul  dedi- 
cates all  her  powers  to  Him  who  of  His  own  unpurchased  love 
became  my  surety,  and  wrought  out  for  me  redemption  through 
His  blood.  What  riches  of  grace  does  free  forgiveness  ex- 
hibit !  To  forgive  at  all,  to  forgive  fully,  to  forgive  freely, 
to  forgive  forever  !  Here  is  a  constellation  of  wonders  ;  and 
when  I  think  of  how  great  my  sins  were,  how  dear  were  the 
precious  drops  which  cleansed  me  from  them,  and  how  gra- 
cious was  the  method  by  which  pardon  was  sealed  home  to 
me,  I  am  in  a  maze  of  wondering,  worshipping  affection.  I 
bow  before  the  throne  which  absolves  me ;  I  clasp  the  crosk 
which  delivers  me  ;  I  serve  henceforth  all  my  days  the  In(!ar 
iiate  God,  through  whom  I  am  this  night  a  pardoned  soul. 


Nov.  28.  EVENING    KEADIN'iS.  33 i 

"  Seeking  the  wealth  of  his  people."  —  Esther  x.  3. 

[jORDECAI  was  a  true  patriot,  and  therefore,  being 
exalted  to  the  highest  position  under  Ahasucrus, 
he  used  his  eminence  to  promote  the  prosperity  of 
Israel.  In  this  he  was  a  type  of  Jesus,  who,  upon  His  throne 
of  glory,  seeks  not  His  own,  hut  spends  His  power  for  His 
people.  It  were  well  if  every  Christian  would  be  a  Mordecai 
to  the  church,  striving  according  to  his  ability  for  its  pros- 
perity. Some  are  placed  in  stations  of  affluence  and  influ- 
ence ;  let  them  honor  their  Lord  in  the  high  places  of  the 
earth,  and  testify  for  Jesus  before  great  men.  Others  have 
what  is  far  better,  namely,  close  fellowship  with  the  King  of 
kings ;  let  them  be  sure  to  plead  daily  for  the  weak  of  the 
Lord's  people,  the  doubting,  the  tempted,  and  the  comfort- 
less. It  will  redound  to  their  honor  if  they  make  much  inter- 
cession for  those  who  are  in  darkness  and  dare  not  draw  nigh 
unto  the  mercy-seat.  Instructed  believers  may  serve  their 
Master  greatly  if  they  lay  out  their  talents  for  the  general 
good,  and  impart  their  wealth  of  heavenly  learning  to  others, 
by  teaching  them  the  things  of  God.  The  very  least  in  our 
Israel  may  at  least  seek  the  welfare  of  his  people  ;  and  his  de- 
sire, if  he  can  give  no  more,  shall  be  acceptable.  It  is  at  once 
the  most  Christ-like  and  the  most  happy  course  for  a  believer 
to  cease  from  living  to  himself.  He  who  blesses  others  can- 
not fail  to  be  blessed  himself.  On  the  other  hand,  to  seek 
our  own  personal  greatness. is  a  wicked  and  unhappy  plan 
of  life ;  its  way  will  be  grievous,  and  its  end  will  be  fatal. 

Here  is  the  place  to  ask  thee,  my  friend,  whether  thou  art 
to  the  best  of  thy  power  seeking  the  wealth  of  the  church  in 
thy  neighborhood  ?  I  trust  thou  art  not  doing  it  mischief  by 
bitterness  and  scandal,  nor  weakening  it  by  thy  neglect. 
Friendj  unite  with  the  Lord's  poor,  bear  their  cross,  do  them 
all  the  good  thou  canst,  and  thou  shalt  )iot  miss  thy  reward. 


336  EVENING    READINGS.  NoV.  29. 

^''  Spices  for  anointing  oil."  —  Exodus  xxxv.  8. 

!)UCH  use  was  made  of  this  anointing  oil  under  the  law, 
and  that  which  it  represents  is  of  primary  importance 
under  the  gospel.  The  Holy  Spirit,  who  anoints  ua 
for  all  holy  service,  is  indispensable  to  us  if  we  would  serve 
the  Lord  acceptably.  Without  His  aid  our  religious  services 
are  but  a  vain  oblation,  and  our  inward  experience  is  a  dead 
thing.  Whenever  our  ministry  is  without  unction,  what  mis- 
erable stuff  it  becomes  !  nor  are  the  prayers,  praises,  medi- 
tations, and  efforts  of  private  Christians,  one  jot  superior. 
A  holy  anointing  is  the  soul  and  life  of  piety,  its  absence  the 
most  grievous  of  all  calamities.  To  go  before  the  Lord  with- 
out anointing  is  as  though  some  common  Levite  had  thrust 
himself  into  the  priest's  office  —  his  ministrations  would  rath- 
er have  been  sins  than  services.  May  we  never  venture  upon 
hallowed  exercises  without  sacred  anointings.  They  drop 
upon  us  from  our  glorious  Head  ;  from  His  anointing  we 
who  are  as  the  skirts  of  His  garments  partake  of  a  plenteous 
unction. 

Choice  spices  were  compounded  with  rarest  art  of  the  apoth- 
ecary to  form  the  anointing  oil,  to  show  forth  to  us  how  rich 
are  all  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  All  good  things  are 
found  in  the  divine  Comforter.  Matchless  consolation,  infal- 
lible instruction,  immortal  quickening,  spiritual  energy,  and 
divine  sanctification,  all  lie  compounded  with  other  excel- 
lences in  that  sacred  eye-salve  —  the  heavenly  anointing  oil 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  imparts  a  delightful  fragrance  to  the 
character  and  person  of  the  man  upon  whoui  it  is  poured. 
Nothing  like  it  can  be  found  in  all  the  treasuries  of  the  rich, 
or  the  secrets  of  the  wise.  It  is  not  to  be  imitated.  It 
C'jmes  alone  from  God,  and  it  is  freely  given,  through  Jesua 
Christ,  to  every  waiting  soul.  Let  us  seek  it,  for  we  may 
have  it,  may  have  it  this  very  evening.  0  Lord,  anoint  Thj 
servants. 


Nov.  30.  EVENING    KEADINGS.  337 

"  Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon ;  and  the  di  agon 
fought  and  his  angels."  —  Revelation  xii.  7. 

^I'il^^AIl  always  will  rage  between  the  two  great  sovereign- 
ties until  one  or  other  be  crushed.     Peace  between 


I 


^*^^-^  good  and  evil  is  an  impossibility;  the  very  pretence 
of  it  would,  in  fact,  be  the  triumph  of  the  powers  of  darkness. 
Michael  ivill  always  fght ;  his  holy  soul  is  vexed  with  sin,  and 
will  not  endure  it.  Jesus  will  always  be  the  dragon's  foe, 
and  tha';  not  in  a  quiet  sense,  but  actively,  vigorously,  with 
full  determination  to  exterminate  evil.  All  His  servants, 
whether  angels  in  heaven  or  messengers  on  earth,  will  and 
must  fight ;  they  are  born  to  be  warriors  —  at  the  cross  they 
enter  into  covenant  never  to  make  truce  with  evil ;  they  are  a 
warlike  company,  firm  in  defence  and  fierce  in  attack.  The 
duty  of  every  soldier  in  the  army  of  the  Lord  is  daily,  with  all 
his  heart,  and  soul,  and  strength,  to  fight  against  the  dragon. 

The  dragon  and  his  angels  will  not  decline  the  affray  ;  they 
are  incessant  in  their  onslaughts,  sparing  no  weapon,  fair  or 
foul.  We  are  foolish  to  expect  to  serve  God  without  oppo- 
sition :  the  more  zealous  we  are,  the  more  sure  are  we  to  be 
assailed  by  the  myrmidons  of  hell.  The  church  may  become 
slothful,  but  not  so  her  great  antagonist;  his  restless  spirit 
never  suffers  the  war  to  pause  ;  he  hates  the  woman's  seed, 
and  would  fain  devour  the  church  if  he  could.  The  servants 
of  Satan  partake  much  of  the  old  dragon's  energy,  and  are 
usually  an  active  race.  War  rages  all  around,  and  to  dream 
of  peace  is  dangerous  and  futile. 

Glory  be  to  God,  we  know  the  end  of  the  wai  The  great 
dragon  shall  be  cast  out  and  forever  destroyed,  while  Jesus 
and  they  who  are  with  Him  shall  receive  the  crown.  Let  us 
sharpen  our  swords  to-night,  and  pray  the  Holy  Spirit  to  nerve 
our  arms  for  the  conflict.  Never  battle  so  important,  never 
crown  so  glorious.  Every  man  to  his  post,  ye  warriors  of  the 
cross,  and  may  the  Lord  tread  Satan  under  your  feet  shortly  1 
29 


338  EVENING    READINGS.  DeC.    t. 

•'  Oh  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for  His  goodness,  and  for  Hit 
wonderful  works  to  the  children  of  men."  —  Psalm  cvii.  8. 

^@5JJ?fF  we  complained  less,  and  praised  more,  we  should  bfl 
^!^B  w!  happier,  and  God  would  be  more  glorified.  Let  us 
y/^rky  daily  praise  God  for  common  mercies  —  common,  as 
we  frequently  call  them,  and  yet  so  priceless,  that  when  de- 
prived of  them  we  are  ready  to  perish.  Let  us  bless  God 
for  the  eyes  with  which  we  behold  the  sun,  for  the  health  and 
strength  to  walk  abroad,  for  the  bread  we  eat,  for  the  rai- 
ment we  wear.  Let  us  praise  Him  that  we  are  not  cast  out 
among  the  hopeless,  or  confined  amongst  the  guilty  ;  let  us 
thank  Him  for  liberty,  for  friends,  for  family  associations  and 
comforts  ;  let  us  praise  Him,  in  fact,  for  everything  which 
we  receive  from  His  bounteous  hand,  for  we  deserve  little, 
and  yet  are  most  plenteously  endowed.  But,  beloved,  the 
sweetest  and  the  loudest  note  in  our  songs  of  praise  should 
be  of  redeeming  love.  God's  redeeming  acts  towards  His 
chosen  are  forever  the  favorite  themes  of  their  praise.  If  we 
know  what  redemption  means,  let  us  not  withhold  our  son- 
nets of  thanksgiving.  We  have  been  redeemed  from  the 
power  of  our  corruptions,  uplifted  from  the  depth  of  sin  in 
which  we  were  naturally  plunged.  We  have  been  led  to  the 
cross  of  Christ  —  our  shackles  of  guilt  have  been  broken  off; 
we  are  no  longer  slaves,  but  children  of  the  living  God,  and 
can  antedate  the  period  when  we  shall  be  presented  before 
the  throne  without  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing.  Even 
now  by  faith  we  wave  the  palm-brsnch  and  wrap  ourselves 
about  with  the  fair  linen  which  is  to  be  our  everlasting  array, 
and  shall  we  not  unceasingly  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  our  Ke- 
deemer  ?  Child  of  God,  canst  thou  be  silent  ?  Awake,  awake, 
je  heritors  of  glory,  and  lead  your  captivity  captive,  as  y« 
cry  with  David,  "  Bless  the  Lord,  0  m}  soul :  and  all  that 
18  within  me,  bless  His  holy  name."  Let  the  new  month 
begin  with  new  songs. 


Dec.  2.  EVENING    READINGS.  339 

"  Behold,  all  is  vanity"  —  Ecclcsiastes  i.  14. 

fi||f|n|^OTIIING  can  satisfy  the  entire  man  but  the  Lord's 
w\i'}  ^^^'^  '"^"^  *^'*^  Lord's  own  self.  Saints  have  tried  to 
**^^'^^  anchor  in  other  roadsteads,  but  they  have  been  driven 
out  of  such  fatal  refuges.  Solomon,  the  wisest  of  men,  was 
permitted  to  rat,ke  experiments  for  us  all,  and  to  do  for  us 
what  we  must  not  dare  to  do  for  ourselves.  Here  is  his  tes- 
timony in  his  own  words  :  "  So  I  was  great,  and  increased 
more  than  all  that  were  before  me  in  Jerusalem  :  also  my 
wisdom  remained  with  me.  And  whatsoever  mine  eyec  de- 
sired I  kept  not  from  them;  I  withheld  not  my  heart  froTu  any 
joy,  for  my  heart  rejoiced  in  all  my  labor:  and  this  was  my 
portion  of  all  my  labor.  Then  I  looked  on  all  the  works  that 
my  hands  had  wrought,  and  on  the  labor  that  I  had  labored 
to  do  :  and,  behold,  all  was  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit,  and 
there  was  no  profit  under  the  sun."  "Vanity  of  vanities,  all 
is  vanity."  What !  the  whole  of  it  vanity  !  0  favored  mon- 
arch, is  there  nothing  in  all  thy  wealth  ?  Nothing  in  that 
wide  dominion  reaching  from  th«  river  even  to  the  sea  ? 
Nothing  in  Palmyra's  glorious  palaces  ?  Nothing  in  the  house 
of  the  forest  of  Lebanon  ?  In  all  thy  music  and  dancing,  and 
wine  and  luxury,  is  there  nothing  ?  "  Nothing,"  he  says, 
"  but  weariness  of  spirit."  This  was  his  verdict  when  he  had 
trodden  the  whole  round  of  pleasure.  To  embrace  our  Lord 
Jesus,  to  dwell  in  His  love,  and  be  fully  assured  of  union  with 
Him  —  this  is  all  in  all.  Dear  reader,  you  need  not  try  other 
forms  of  life  in  order  to  see  whether  they  are  better  than  the 
Christian's :  if  you  roam  the  world  around,  you  will  see  no 
sights  like  a  sight  of  the  Saviour's  face  ;  if  you  could  have 
all  the  comforts  of  life,  if  you  lost  your  Saviour,  you  would 
be  wretched  ;  but  if  you  win  Christ,  then  should  you  rot  in  a 
dungeon,  you  would  find  it  a  paradise ;  should  you  live  in 
obscurity,  or  die  with  famine,  you  will  yet  be  satisfied  wiUi 
favor,  and  full  of  the  goodness  of  the  Lord. 


340  EVENING    KEADINtiS  DcO.  8. 


"  The  Lord  mighty  in  battle."  —  t  >Axa  xxiv.  8. 


;C^ELL  may  our  God  be  glorious  in  ;;he  eyes  of  His  peo- 
!i/|  pie,  seeing  that  He  has  wrought  such  wonders  for 
them,  in  them,  and  by  them.  For  them,  the  Lord 
Jesus  upon  Calvary  routed  every  foe,  breaking  all  the  weap- 
ons of  the  enemy  in  pieces  by  His  finished  work  of  satisfac- 
tory obedience ;  by  His  triumphant  resurrection  and  ascen- 
sion He  completely  overturned  the  hopes  of  hell,  leading 
captivity  captive,  making  a  show  of  our  enemies  openly,  tri- 
umphing over  them  by  His  cross.  Every  arrow  of  guilt 
which  Satan  might  have  shot  at  us  is  broken,  for  who  can  laj 
anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?  Vain  are  the  sharp 
swords  of  infernal  malice,  and  the  perpetual  battles  of  the 
serpent's  seed,  for  in  the  midst  of  the  church  the  lame  take 
the  prey,  and  the  feeblest  warriors  are  crowned. 

The  saved  may  well  adore  their  Lord  for  His  conquests  in 
them,  since  the  arrows  of  their  natural  hatred  are  snapped, 
and  the  weapons  of  their  rebellion  broken.  What  victories 
has  grace  won  in  our  evil  hearts  !  How  glorious  is  Jesus 
when  the  will  is  subdued,  and  sin  dethroned !  As  for  our 
remaining  corruptions,  they  shall  sustain  an  equally  sure 
defeat,  and  every  temptation,  and  doulit,  and  fear,  shall  be 
utterly  destroyed.  In  the  Salem  of  our  peaceful  hearts,  the 
name  of  Jesus  is  great  beyond  compare :  He  has  won  our 
love,  and  He  shall  wear  it.  Even  thus  securely  may  we  look 
for  victories  hy  us.  We  are  more  than  conquerors  through 
Him  that  loved  us.  We  shall  cast  down  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness which  are  in  the  world,  by  our  faith,  and  zeal,  and 
holiness;  we  shall  win  sinners  to  Jesus,  we  shall  overturn 
false  systems,  we  shall  convert  nations,  for  God  is  with  us, 
and  none  shall  stand  before  us.  This  evening  let  the  Chris- 
tian warrior  chant  the  war  song,  and  prepare  for  to  morrow's 
tight.  Greater  is  He  that  is  in  us  than  he  that  is  in  the 
world. 


Dec.  4.  EVENING    READINGS.  341 

"  Even  we  ourselves  groan  ivUhIn  ourselves,  ivaitinrf  for  the  adop- 
tion, to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body.^'' — Romans  viii.  23. 


^'''■■•SIIIS  o-ioaiiijis:  is  universal 
i||Uli^  jrroater  or  less  extent  we 
'^^**^  jiroan  of  iniinnurins^  or  c 


!'>■■•  SIIIS  groanijig   is   universal    among    the    saints:    to  a 

all  feel  it.  It  is  not  tlie 
complaint :  it  is  rather  the 
note  of  desire  than  of  distress.  Having  received  an  earnest, 
we  desire  the  whole  of  our  portion ;  we  are  sighing  that  our 
entire  manhood,  in  its  trinity  of  spirit,  soul,  and  body,  may 
be  set  free  from  the  last  vestige  of  the  fall ;  we  long  to  jmt 
off  corruption,  weakness,  and  dishonor,  End  to  wrap  our- 
selves in  incorruption,  in  immortality,  in  glory,  in  the  spirit- 
ual body  which  the  Lord  Jesus  will  bestow  upon  his  people. 
We  long  for  the  manifestation  of  our  adoption  as  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  "  We  groan,"  but  it  is  "  within  ourselves."  It  is 
not  the  hypocrite's  groan,  by  which  he  would  make  men  be- 
lieve that  he  is  a  saint  because  he  is  wretched.  Our  sighs  are 
sacred  things,  too  hallowed  for  us  to  tell  abroad.  We  keep 
our  longings  to  our  Lord  alone.  Then  the  apostle  says  we 
are  "  waitim/,"  by  which  we  learn  that  we  are  not  to  be  pet- 
ulant, like  Jonah  or  Elijah,  when  they  said,  "  Let  me  die ;  " 
nor  are  wo  to  whimper  and  sigh  for  the  end  of  life  because 
we  are  tired  of  work,  nor  wish  to  escape  from  our'  present 
sufferings  till  the  will  of  the  Lord  is  done.  We  are  to  groan 
for  glorification,  but  we  arc  to  wait  patiently  for  it,  knowing 
that  what  the  Lord  appoints  is  best.  Waiting  implies  being 
ready.  We  are  to  stand  at  the  door  expecting  the  Beloved 
to  open  it  and  take  us  away  to  Himself.  This  "  groaning  " 
is  a  test.  You  may  judge  of  a  man  by  what  he  groans  after 
Some  men  groan  after  wealth — they  worship  Mammon; 
some  groan  continually  under  the  troubles  of  life — they  are 
merely  impatient ;  but  the  man  who  sighs  after  God,  who  is 
uneasy  till  he  is  made  like  Christ,  that  is  the  blessed  man. 
May  God  help  us  to  groan  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  resurrection  which  He  will  bring  to  us. 
29* 


842  EVENING    READINGS.  Dcc.   5 

"And  the  Lord  showed  me  four  carpenters."  —  Zechariah  i.  20. 

^?N  the  vision  described  in  this  chapter,  the  prophet 
-;^  saw  four  terrible  horns.  They  were  pushing  this 
'^  way  and  that  way,  dashing  down  the  strongest  and 
the  mightiest;  and  the  prophet  asked,  "What  are  these?" 
The  answer  was,  "  These  are  the  horns  which  have  scattered 
Israel."  He  saw  before  him  a  representation  of  those  pow- 
ers which  had  oppressed  the  church  of  God.  There  were  four 
horns  ;  for  the  church  is  attacked  from  all  quarters.  Well 
might  the  prophet  have  felt  dismayed  ;  but  on  a  sudden  there 
appeared  before  him  four  carpenters.  He  asked,  "  What  shall 
these  do  ?"  These  are  the  men  whom  God  hath  found  to 
break  those  horns  in  pieces.  God  will  alicaijs  find  men  for 
His  work,  and  He  will  find  them  at  the  right  time.  The  proph- 
et did  not  see  the  carpenters  _^rs^  when  there  was  nothing  to 
do,  but  first  the  "  horns,"  and  then  the  "  carpenters."  More- 
over, the  Lord  finds  enough  men.  He  did  not  find  three  car- 
penters, but /our;  there  were  four  horns,  and  there  must  be 
four  workmen.  God  finds  the  right  men  ;  not  four  men  with 
^ens  to  write  ;  not  four  architects  to  draw  plans  ;  but  four  car- 
penters to  do  rough  work.  Rest  assured,  you  who  tremble  for 
the  ark  of  God,  that  when  the  "  horns"  grow  troublesome,  the 
"  carpenters  "  will  be  found.  You  need  not  fret  concerning 
the  weakness  of  the  church  of  God  at  any  moment;  there  may 
be  growing  up  in  obscurity  the  variant  reformer  who  will  shake 
the  nations :  Chrysostoms  may  come  forth  from  our  Ragged 
Schools,  and  Augustines  from  the  thickest  darkness  of  Lon- 
don's poverty.  The  Lord  knows  where  to  find  His  servants. 
He  hath  in  ambush  a  multitude  of  mighty  men,  and  at  His 
word  they  shall  start  up  to  the  battle ;  "  for  the  battle  is  the 
Lord's,"  and  He  shall  get  to  Himself  the  victory.  Let  us 
abide  faithful  to  Christ,  and  He,  in  the  right  time,  will  raise 
up  for  us  a  defence,  whether  it  be  in  the  day  of  our  peisona. 
need,  or  in  the  season  of  peril  to  His  Church. 


Dec.  6.  EVENING    HEADINGS.  343 

"  Oirt  about  the  paps  with  a  (jolden  gh-dle."  —  Rev.  i.  13. 

"  J^J^il^j!^^^^  ^'l^G  unto  the  Son  of  Man  "  appeared  to  John  io 
^  I V ^  Patnios,  and  the  beloved  disciple  marked  that   he 


^  wore  a  girdle  of  gold.  A  girdle,  for  Jesus  never 
was  ungirt  while  upon  earth  ;  but  stood  always  ready  for 
eervice,  and  now  before  the  eternal  throne  lie  stays  not  His 
holy  ministry,  but  as  a  priest  is  girt  about  with  "  the  curious 
girdle  of  the  ephod."  Well  is  it  for  us  that  He  has  not 
ceased  to  fulQl  His  oflBces  of  love  for  us,  since  this  is  one  of 
our  choicest  safeguards  that  He  ever  liveth  to  make  inter- 
cession for  us.  Jesus  is  never  an  idler  ;  His  garments  aro 
never  loose,  as  though  His  offices  were  ended  ;  He  diligently 
carries  on  the  cause  of  His  people.  A  golden  girdle,  to  man- 
ifest the  superiority  of  His  service,  the  royalty  of  His  per- 
son, the  dignity  of  His  state,  the  glory  of  His  reward.  No 
longer  does  He  cry  out  of  the  dust,  but  He  pleads  with  au- 
thority, a  King  as  well  as  a  Priest.  Safe  enough  is  our  cause 
in  the  hands  of  our  enthroned  Melchisedek. 

Our  Lord  presents  all  His  people  with  an  example.  We 
must  never  unbind  our  girdles.  This  is  not  the  time  for 
lying  down  at  ease  ;  it  is  the  season  of  service  and  warfare. 
W^e  need  to  bind  the  girdle  of  truth  more  and  more  tightly 
around  our  loins.  It  is  a  golden  girdle,  and  so  will  be  our 
richest  ornament,  and  we  greatly  need  it,  for  a  heart  that  is 
not  well  braced  up  with  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  with 
the  fidelity  which  is  wrought  of  the  Spirit,  will  be  easily  en- 
tangled with  the  things  of  this  life,  and  tripped  up  by  the 
snares  of  temptation.  It  is  in  vain  that  we  possess  the 
Scriptures  unless  we  bind  them  around  us  like  a  girdle,  sur- 
rounding our  entire  nature,  keeping  each  part  of  our  char- 
acter in  order,  and  giving  compactness  to  our  wholg  mau. 
If  in  heaven  Jesus  unbinds  not  the  girdle,  much  less  may 
we  upon  earth.  Stand,  therefore,  havirg  your  loins  girt 
about  with  truth. 


844  EVENING    READINGS.  Dec.   7. 

"  /  am  made  all  tJirngs  to  all  men,  that  I  mirilit  hy  all  means  savt 
some."  —  1  Corinthians  ix.  22. 


RAUL'S  great  object  was  not  merely  to  instruct  and  to 
improve,  but  to  save.  Anything  short  of  this  would 
"  "*  ■  have  disappointed  him  ;  he  would  have  men  renewed 
in  heart,  forgiven,  sanctified,  in  fact,  saved.  Have  our  Chris- 
tian labors  been  aimed  at  anything  below  this  great  point  ? 
then  let  us  amend  our  ways,  for  of  what  avail  will  it  be  at  the 
last  great  day  to  have  taught  and  moralized  men  if  they  ap- 
pear before  God  unsaved  ?  Blood-red  will  our  skirts  be  if 
through  life  we  have  sought  inferior  objects,  and  forgotten 
that  men  needed  to  be  saved.  Paul  knew  the  ruin  of  man's 
natural  state,  and  did  not  try  to  educate  him,  but  to  save 
him  ;  he  saw  men  sinking  to  hell,  and  did  not  talk  of  refin- 
ing them,  but  of  saving  from  the  wrath  to  come.  To  com- 
pass their  salvation,  he  gave  himself  up  with  untiring  zeal  to 
telling  abroad  the  gospel,  to  warning  and  beseeching  men  to 
be  reconciled  to  God.  His  prayers  were  importunate  and 
his  labors  incessant.  To  save  souls  was  his  consuming  pas- 
sion, his  ambition,  his  calling.  He  became  a  servant  to  all 
men,  toiling  for  his  race,  feeling  a  woe  within  him  if  he 
preached  not  the  gospel.'  He  laid  aside  his  preferences  to 
prevent  prejudice  ;  he  submitted  his  will  in  things  indiffer- 
ent, and  if  men  would  but  receive  the  gospel,  he  raised  no 
questions  about  forms  or  ceremonies  :  the  gospel  was  the  one 
all-important  business  with  him.  If  he  might  save  some  he 
would  be  content.  This  was  the  crown  for  which  he  strove, 
the  sole  and  sufficient  reward  of  all  his  labors  and  self-deni- 
als. Dear  r;ader,  have  you  and  I  lived  to  win  souls  at  thia 
noble  rate  ?  Are  we  possessed  with  the  same  all-absorbing 
desire  ?  If  not,  why  not  ?  Jesus  died  for  sinners  ;  cannot 
we  live  for  them  ?  Where  is  our  tenderness  ?  Where  our 
love  to  Christ,  if  we  seek  not  His  honor  in  the  salvation  of 
men  ?  Oh  that  the  Lord  would  saturate  us  ^through  and 
through  with  an  undying  zeal  for  the  souls  of  men ! 


Pec.   8.  KVKNING    KEADING3.  345 

"  Tliou,  0  God,  hast  prepared  of  Thy  goodness  for  the  poor." 
Psalm  Ixviii.  10. 

I^'TIPLL  God's  gifts  are  prepared  gifts  laid  up  in  store  for 
of  ^  wants  foreseen.  He  anticipates  our  needs  ;  and  out 
Mr*i\  Qf  jjjg  fulness  which  lie  has  treasured  up  in  Christ 
Jesus,  He  provides  of  His  goodness  for  the  poor.  You  may 
irust  Him  for  all  the  necessities  that  can  occur,  for  he  has 
infallibly  foreknown  every  one  of  them.  He  can  say  of  us 
in  all  conditions,  "  I  knew  that  thou  wouldst  be  this  and 
that."  A  man  goes  a  journey  across  the  desert,  and  when 
he  has  made  a  day's  advance,  and  pitched  his  tent,  he  .dis- 
covers that  he  wants  many  comforts  and  necessaries  which 
he  has  not  brought  in  his  baggage.  "  Ah  !  "  says  he,  "  I 
did  not  foresee  this  :  if  I  had  this  journey  to  go  again,  I 
should  bring  these  things  with  me,  so  necessary  to  my  com- 
fort." But  God  has  marked  with  prescient  eye  all  the  re- 
quirements of  His  poor  wandering  children,  and  when  those 
needs  occur,  supplies  are  ready.  It  is  goodness  which  He 
h{..s  prepared  for  the  poor  in  heart  —  goodness,  and  goodness 
only.  "  3Iy  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  "  As  thy  days,  so 
shall  thy  strength  be." 

Reailer,  is  your  heart  heavy  this  evening  ?  God  knew  it 
would  be  ;  the  comfort  which  your  heart  wants  is  treasured 
in  the  sweet  assurance  of  the  text.  You  are  poor  and  needy, 
but  He  has  thought  upon  you,  and  has  the  exact  blessing 
which  you  require  in  store  for  you.  Plead  the  promise,  be- 
lieve it,  and  obtain  its  fulfilment.  Do  you  feel  that  you  never 
were  so  consciously  vile  as  you  are  now  ?  Behold,  the  crim- 
son fountain  is  open  still,  with  all  its  former  efficacy,  to  wash 
your  sin  away.  Never  shall  you  come  into  such  a  position 
t'lat  Christ  cannot  aid  you.  No  pinch  shall  ever  arrive  in 
3  jur  spiritual  affairs  in  which  Jesus  Christ  shall  not  be  equal 
to  the  emergency,  for  your  history  has  all  been  foreknown 
and  provided  for  in  Jesus. 


34(5  EVENING    READINGS.  DeC.  9. 

"  My  people  sliall  dwell  in  qtiiet  resting-places."  —  Isaiah  xxxii.  18. 

^E  A.CE  and  rest  belong  not  to  the  unregenerate  ;  they 
J,,  are  the  peculiar  possession  of  the  Lord's  people,  and 
^*^  of  them  only.  The  God  of  Peace  gives  perfect 
peace  to  those  whose  hearts  are  stayed  upon  Him.  When 
man  was  unfallen,  his  God  gave  him  the  flowery  bowers 
of  Eden  as  his  quiet  resting-places  ;  alas  !  how  soon  sin 
blighted  the  fair  abode  of  innocence  !  In  the  day  of  univer- 
sal wrath,  when  the  flood  swept  away  a  guilty  race,  the  chosen 
family  were  quietly  secured  in  the  resting-place  of  the  ark, 
which  floated  the^n  from  the  old  condemned  world  into  the 
new  earth  of  the  rainbow  and  the  covenant,  herein  typifying 
Jesus,  the  ark  of  our  salvation.  Israel  rested  safely  beneath 
the  blood-besprinkled  habitations  of  Egypt  when  the  destroy- 
ing angel  smote  the  first-born  ;  and  in  the  wilderness  the 
shadow  of  the  pillar  of  cloud,  and  the  flowing  rock,  gave  the 
weary  pilgrims  sweet  repose.  At  this  hour  we  rest  in  the 
promises  of  our  faithful  God,  knowing  that  His  words  are 
full  of  truth  and  power  ;  we  rest  in  the  doctrines  of  His 
word,  which  are  consolation  itself;  we  rest  in  the  covenant 
of  His  grace,  which  is  a  haven  of  delight.  More  highly 
favored  are  we  than  David  in  Adullam,  or  Jonah  beneath 
his  gourd,  for  none  can  invade  or  destroy  our  shelter.  The 
person  of  Jesus  is  the  quiet  resting-place  of  His  people ; 
and  when  we  draw  near  to  Him  in  the  breaking  of  bread,  in 
the  hearing  of  the  word,  the  searching  of  the  Scriptures, 
prayer,  or  praise,  we  find  any  form  of  approach  to  Him  to 
be  the  return  of  peace  to  our  spirits. 

«'  I  hear  the  words  of  love,  I  gaze  upon  the  blood, 
I  see  the  mi;,'hty  sacrifice,  and  I  liave  peace  with  God. 
'Tis  evcrliistiug  peace,  sure  as  Jeliovah's  name; 
'Tis  Btablc  as  llis  sto.idfast  throne,  for  evermore  the  same  : 
The  clouds  may  go  and  come,  and  storms  may  sweep  my  sky,— 
T)  \i8  blood-scaled  friendship  changes  not,  the  cross  is  ever  nigh," 


Dec.    10  EVENING    READINGS.  347 

"  Whose  heart  the  Lord  opened^ —  Acts  xvi.  14. 

fli^N  Lydia's  conversion  there  are  many  points  of  interest. 
v;"?^  It  was  brought  about  by  providential  circumstances, 
^  She  was  a  seller  of  purple,  of  the  city  of  Thyatira. 
but  ju:5t  at  the  right  time  for  hearing  Paul  we  And  her  at  Phi- 
lippi  ;  providence,  which  is  the  handmaid  of  grace,  led  her 
to  the  right  spot.  Again,  grace  was  preparing  her  soul  foi 
the  blessing  —  grace  preparing  for  grace.  She  did  not  know 
the  Saviour,  but,  as  a  Jewesj;,  she  knew  many  truths  which 
were  excellent  stepping-stones  to  a  knowledge  of  Jesus.  Her 
conversion  took  place  in  the  use  of  the  means.  On  the  Sab- 
bath she  went  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made,  and  there 
prayer  was  heard.  Never  neglect  the  means  of  grace  ;  God 
intri/  bless  us  when  we  are  not  in  His  house,  but  we  have  the 
greater  reason  to  hope  that  He  will  when  we  are  in  commun- 
ion with  His  saints.  Observe  the  words,  "  Whose  heart  the 
Lord  opened."  She  did  not  open  her  own  heart.  Her 
prayers  did  not  do  it ;  Paul  did  not  do  it.  The  Lord  Him- 
self must  open  the  heart,  to  receive  the  things  which  make 
for  our  peace.  He  alone  can  put  the  key  into  the  hole  of 
the  door  and  open  it,  and  get  admittance  for  Himself.  He 
is  the  heart's  master  as  He  is  the  heart's  maker.  The  first 
outward  evidence  of  the  opened  heart  was  obedience.  As 
soon  as  Lydia  had  believed  in  Jesus,  she  was  baptized.  1*; 
is  a  sweet  sign  of  a  humble  and  broken  heart,  when  the  child 
of  God  is  willing  to  obey  a  command  which  is  not  essential 
to  his  salvation,  which  is  not  forced  upon  him  by  a  selfish 
fear  of  condemnation,  but  is  a  simple  act  of  obedience  and 
of  communion  with  his  Master.  The  next  evidence  was  love, 
manifesting  itself  in  acts  of  grateful  kindness  to  the  apos- 
tles. Love  to  the  saints  has  ever  been  a  mark  of  the  true 
convert.  Those  who  do  nothing  for  Christ  or  Hi^  church, 
give  but  sorry  evidence  of  an  "  opened"  heart.  L  )rd,  ever- 
more give  me  an  opened  heart. 


348  EVENING    HEADINGS.  DcC.   11 

"  Ye  serve  the  Lord  Christ."  —  Colossians  iii.  24. 

^0  what  choice  order  of  officials  was  this  word  spoken  ? 

Is  To  kings,  who  proudly  boast  a  right  divine  ?  Ah, 
no  !  too  often  do  they  serve  themselves  or  Satan,  and 
forget  the  God  whose  sufferance  permits  them  to  wear  their 
mimic  majesty  for  their  little  hour.  Speaks  then  the  apostle 
to  those  so-called  "  right  reverend  fathers  in  Grod,"  the  bish- 
ops, or  "the  venerable  the  archdeacons"?  No,  indeed; 
Paul  knew  nothing  of  these  mere  inventions  of  man.  Not 
even  to  pastors  and  teachers,  or  to  the  wealthy  and  esteemed 
among  believers,  was  this  word  spoken,  but  to  servants,  ay, 
and  to  slaves.  Among  the  toiling  multitudes,  the  journey- 
men, the  day  laborers,  the  domestic  servants,  the  drudges  of 
the  kitchen,  the  apostle  found,  as  we  find  still,  some  of  the 
Lord's  chosen,  and  to  them  he  says,  "  Whatsoever  ye  do,  do 
it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men  ;  knowing  that 
of  the  Lord  ye  shall  receive  the  reward  of  the  inheritance  : 
for  ye  serve  the  Lord  Christ."  This  saying  ennobles  the 
weary  routine  of  earthly  employments,  and  sheds  a  halo 
around  the  most  humble  occupations.  To  wash  feet  may  be 
servile,  but  to  wash  His  feet  is  royal  work.  To  unloose  the 
shoe-latchet  is  poor  employ,  but  to  unloose  the  great  Mas- 
ter's shoe  is  a  princely  privilege.  The  shop,  the  barn,  the 
scullery,  and  the  smithy,  become  temples  when  men  and 
women  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God  !  Then  "  divine  service" 
is  not  a  thing  of  a  few  hours  and  a  few  places,  but  all  life 
becomes  holiness  unto  the  Lord,  and  every  place  and  thing, 
as  consecrated  as  the  tabernacle  and  its  golden  candlestick. 

"  Teach  me,  niy  God  and  Kin„',  in  all  things  Thee  to  see; 
And  wimt  I  do  in  anything  to  do  it  as  to  Thee. 
All  iiiay  of  Thee  p  irtiiko,  nothing  can  be  so  mean, 

Whicli  with  this  tincture,  for  'JTiy  sake,  will  not  grow  bright  and  oieaii 
A  servant  with  this  clause  makes  drudgery  divine; 
Who  sweeps  a  room,  as  for  Thy  laws,  makes  that  and  the  action  &ae." 


Dec.   12,  EVKNINO    READINGS.  349 


"  They  have  dealt  treacherously  against  the  Led."  — Hosea  v.  7. 


ft^-j^^EUEVEll,  here  is  a  sorrowful  truth  !  Thou  art  the 
%ljiVi  beloved  of  the  Lord,  redeemed  by  blood,  called  bj 
^^^^**^  grace,  preserved  in  Christ  Jesus,  accepted  in  the 
Beloved,  on  thy  way  to  heaven,  and  yet  thou  hast  "  dealt 
treacherously  "  with  God,  thy  best  friend  ;  treacherously  with 
Jesus,  whose  thou  art ;  treacherously  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
whom  thou  hast  been  quickened  unto  life  eternal !  How 
treacherous  you  have  been  in  the  matter  of  vows  and  prom- 
ises I  Do  you  remember  the  love  of  your  espousals,  that  happy 
time  —  the  spring-tide  of  your  spiritual  life  ?  Oh,  how  close- 
ly did  you  cling  to  your  Master  then  !  saying,  "  He  shall  never 
charge  rae  with  indifference  ;  my  feet  shall  never  grow  slow 
in  the  way  of  His  service  ;  I  will  not  suffer  my  heart  to  wan- 
der after  other  loves ;  in  Him  is  every  store  of  sweetness 
ineffable.  I  give  all  up  for  my  Lord  Jesus'  sake."  Has  it 
been  so  ?  Alas  !  if  conscience  speak,  it  will  say,  "  He  who 
promised  so  well  has  performed  most  ill.  Prayer  has  often- 
times been  slurred  —  it  has  been  short,  but  not  sweet;  brief, 
but  not  fervent.  Communion  with  Christ  has  been  forgotten. 
Instead  of  a  heavenly  mind,  there  have  been  carnal  cares, 
worldly  vanities,  and  thoughts  of  evil.  Instead  of  service, 
there  has  been  disobedience  ;  instead  of  fervency,  lukewarm- 
ness ;  instead  of  patience,  petulance;  instead  of  faith,  con- 
fidence in  an  arm  of  flesh  ;  and  as  a  soldier  of  the  cross  there 
have  been  cowardice,  disobedience,  and  desertion,  to  a  very 
shameful  degree."  "Thou  hast  dealt  treacherously."  Treach- 
ery to  Jesus  !  what  words  shall  be  used  in  denouncing  it  i 
AV'ords  little  avail :  let  our  penitent  thoughts  execrate  the 
sin  which  is  so  surely  in  us.  Tre&cherv  to  thy  wounds,  0 
JcMus  !  Forgive  us,  and  let  us  not  sin  again  !  How  shame- 
ful to  be  treacherous  to  Him  who  never  forgets  us,  but  who 
this  day  stands  with  our  nan  es  engraven  on  His  breastplate 
before  the  eternal  throne  ! 
30 


850  EVENING  READINGS.  Dec.  13. 


"  I  will  make  thy  windows  of  agates."  —  Isaiah  Hv.  12. 

'c^HE  church  is  most  instructively  symbolized  by  a  build- 
ing erected  by  heavenly  power,  and  designed  by  dijiue 
skill.  Such  a  spiritual  house  must  not  be  dark,  for 
the  Israelites  had  light  in  their  dwellings  ;  there  must  there- 
fore be  windows  to  let  the  light  in  and  to  allow  the  inhabit- 
ants to  gaze  abroad.  These  windows  are  precious  as  agates  : 
the  ways  in  which  the  church  beholds  her  Lord  and  heaven, 
and  spiritual  truth  in  general,  are  to  be  had  in  the  highest 
esteem.  Agates  are  not  the  most  transparent  of  gems  ;  they 
are  but  semi-pellucid  at  the  best. 

"  Our  knowledp^e  of  that  life  is  small, 
Our  eye  of  faitli  is  dim." 

Faith  is  cne  of  these  precious  agate  windows,  but  alas !  it  is 
often  so  misty  and  beclouded,  that  we  see  but  darkly,  and 
mistake  much  that  we  do  see.  Yet  if  we  cannot  gaze  through 
windows  of  diamonds  and  know  even  as  we  are  known,  it  is 
a  glorious  thing  to  behold  the  altogether  lovely  One,  even 
though  the  glass  be  hazy  as  the  agate.  Experience  is  another 
of  these  dim  but  precious  windows,  yielding  to  us  a  subdued 
religious  light,  in  which  we  see  the  suiferings  of  the  Man  of 
Sorrows,  through  our  own  afl3ictions.  Our  weak  eyes  could 
not  endure  windows  of  transparent  glass  to  let  in  the  Master's 
glory ;  but  when  they  are  dimmed  with  weeping,  the  beams 
of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  are  tempered,  and  shine  through 
the  windows  of  agate  with  a  soft  radiance  inexpressibly  sooth- 
ing to  tempted  souls.  Sanctification,  as  it  conforms  us  to 
our  Lord,  is  another  agate  window.  Only  as  we  become 
heavenly  can  we  comprehend  heavenly  things.  The  pure 
in  heart  see  a  pure  God.  Those  who  are  like  Jesus  see  Him 
as  He  is.  Because  we  are  so  little  like  Him,  the  window  ia 
but  agate ;  because  we  are  somewhat  like  Him,  it  is  agate. 
We  thank  God  for  what  we  have,  and  long  for  more.  When 
shall  we  eee  God  and  Jesus,  and  heaven  and  truth,  face  to 
face  ? 


Dec.    14.  EVENING    KEAI ING?.  851 

*■  /  am  cnicijied  with  Christ."  —  (Jalatians  ii.  20. 


^HE  Lord  Jesus  Christ  acted  in  what  He  did  as  a  great 
lh>iW  public  representative  person,  and  His  dying  upon  the 
cross  was  the  virtual  dying  of  all  His  people.  Then 
::ill  His  saints  rendered  unto  justice  what  was  due,  and  made 
An  expiation  to  divine  vengeance  for  all  their  sins.  The 
f.postle  of  the  Gentiles  delighted  to  think  that  as  one  of 
Christ's  chosen  people,  he  died  upon  the  cross  in  Christ.  He 
ilid  more  than  believe  this  doctrinally,  he  accepted  it  confi- 
dently, resting  his  hope  upon  it.  He  believed  that  by  virtue 
of  Christ's  death,  he  had  satisfied  divine  justice,  and  fouuj^ 
reconciliation  with  God.  Beloved,  what  a  blessed  thing  it  i& 
trhen  the  soul  can,  as  it  were,  stretch  itself  upon  the  cross 
cf  Christ,  and  feel,  "I  am  dead;  the  law  has  slain  me,  and 
I  am  therefore  free  from  its  power,  because  in  my  Surety  I 
Lave  borne  the  curse,  and  in  the  person  of  my  Substitute  the 
\?hole  that  the  law  could  do,  by  way  of  condemnation,  has 
been  executed  upon  me,  for  I  am  crucified  with  Christ." 

But  Paul  meant  even  more  than  this.  He  not  only  believed 
m  Christ's  death,  and  trusted  in  it,  but  he  actually  felt  its 
power  in  himself  in  causing  the  crucifixion  of  his  old  corrupt 
niture.  When  he  saw  the  pleasures  of  sin,  he  said,  "  I  can- 
2:t  enjoy  these  :  I  am  dead  to  them."  Such  is  the  experi- 
ence of  every  true  Christian.  Having  received  Christ,  he  is 
to  this  world  as  one  who  is  utterly  dead.  Yet,  while  con- 
scious of  death  to  the  world,  he  can,  at  the  same  time,  ex- 
claim with  the  apostle,  "Nevertheless  I  live."  He  is  fully 
alive  unto  God.  The  Christian's  life  is  a  matchless  riddle. 
No  worldling  can  comprehend  it;  even  the  believer  himself 
cannot  understand  it.  Dead,  yet  alive  !  crucified  with  Christ, 
and  yet  at  the  same  t'me  risen  with  Christ  in  newness  of  life  ! 
Union  with  the  sufifering,  bleeding  Saviour,  and  death  to  the 
world  and  sin,  are  soul-cheering  things.  Oh  fc  more  en^ 
joyment  of  theml 


352  EVENING    KEAlJiNGS.  DcC.   15. 


"And  lay  thy  foundations  with  sapphires."  —  Isaiah  ;;v.  1 


fif^ir^'yOT  only  that  which  is  seen  of  the  church  of  God,  bT."<. 
^Il/\Y  ^^^'^^  which  is  unseen,  is  fair  and  precious.  Found-.- 
^Il*x  tions  are  out  of  sight,  and  so  long  as  they  are  firm  it 
is  not  expected  that  they  should  be  valuable  ;  but  in  Jehovah's 
work  everything  is  of  a  piece,  nothing  slurred,  nothing  mean. 
The  deep  foundations  of  the  work  of  grace  are  as  sapphires  i:r 
preciousness  ;  no  human  mind  is  able  to  measure  their  glory. 
We  build  upon  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  is  firmer  than  ad- 
amant, and  as  enduring  as  jewels  upon  which  age  spendj 
itself  in  vain.  Sapphire  foundations  are  eternal,  and  the 
covenant  abides  throughout  the  lifetime  of  the  Almighty. 
Another  foundation  is  the  person  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  which  is 
clear  and  spotless,  everlasting  and  beautiful  as  the  sapphire; 
blending  in  one  the  deep  blue  of  earth's  ever-rolling  acean 
and  the  azure  of  its  all-embracing  sky.  Once  might  our  Lord 
have  been  likened  to  the  ruby  as  He  stood  covered  with  Kis 
own  blood,  but  now  we  see  Him  radiant  with  the  soft  blue  of 
love,  love  abounding,  deep,  eternal.  Our  eternal  hopes  are 
built  upon  the  justice  and  the  faithfulness  of  God,  which  arc 
clear  and  cloudless  as  the  sapphire.  We  are  not  saved  by  a 
compromise,  by  mercy  defeating  justice,  or  law  suspending 
its  operations ;  no,  we  defy  the  eagle's  eye  to  detect  a  flaw 
in  the  groundwork  of  our  confidence  —  our  foundation  is  of 
sapphire,  and  will  endure  the  fire. 

The  Lord  Himself  has  laid  the  foundation  of  His  people's 
hopes.  It  is  matter  for  grave  inquiry  whether  our  hopes  are 
built  upon  such  a  basis.  Good  works  and  ceremonies  are  not 
a  foundation  of  sapphires,  but  of  wood,  hay,  and  stubble ; 
neither  are  they  laid  by  God,  but  by  our  own  conceit.  Foun- 
dations will  all  be  tried  ere  long :  woe  unto  him  whose  lofty 
tower  shall  ccme  down  with  a  crash,  because  based  jn  a 
quicksand.  iLb  who  is  built  on  sapphires  may  await  stoim 
or  fire  with  equanimity,  for  he  shall  abide  the  test. 


Due.   16.  EVKNING    READINGS.  3.VA 

"  Vea,  thou  hcardest  not ,  yea,  thou  knewest  not ;  yea,  front,  inai 
time  that  thine  ear  was  not  opened."  —  Isaiah  xlviu  8 

^S^^J^T  is  painful  to  remember  that,  in  a  certain  degree  thij; 
■  V I  "^^  accusation  may  be  laid  at  the  door  of  believer-,,  .vho 
Vy'^hb*  ^QQ  often  are  in  a  mea-bare  spiritually  insensible.  \\  e 
may  well  bewail  ourselves  that  we  do  not  hear  the  voice  of 
God  as  we  ought,  "  Yea,  thou  heardest  not."  There  are  gen- 
tle motions  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  soul  which  are  unheeded 
by  us  :  there  are  whisperings  of  divine  command  and  of  heav- 
enly love  which  are  alike  unobserved  by  our  leaden  intellects. 
Alas  !  we  have  been  carelessly  ignorayit  —  "  Yea,  thou  knew- 
est not."  There  are  matters  within  which  we  ought  to  have 
seen,  corruptions  which  have  made  headway  unnoticed  ;  sweet 
affections  which  are  being  blighted  like  flowers  ir  the  frost, 
untended  by  us  ;  glimpses  of  the  divine  face  which  might  be 
perceived  if  we  did  not  wall  up  the  windows  o£  our  soul.  But 
we  *'  have  not  known."  As  we  think  ol  \t  we  are  uun-i  led  la 
the  deepest  self-abasement.  How  must  we  adore  tiit.  ^race 
of  God  as  we  learn  from  the  context  thnt  all  thi3  t'/iiy  and 
ignorance,  on  our  part,  was /ore/cnotwn  by  God,  and,  notwith- 
standing that  foreknowledge,  He  yet  has  been  pleased  to  deal 
with  us  in  a  way  of  mercy  !  Admire  the  n  arvellous  sover- 
eign grace  which  could  have  chosen  us  in  the  Sight  of  ali  this  ! 
Wonder  at  the  price  that  was  paid  for  us  when  Christ  knew 
what  we  should  be  !  He  woo  hung  upon  tht  cross  foresaw 
us  as  unbelieving,  backsliding,  cold  of  hcai  ,  indifferent, 
careless,  lax  in  prayer,  and  yet  He  said,  "  I  am  tlie  Lord  thy 
God,  the  Holy  One  -.f  isracl.  thy  Saviour.  .  .  .  Since  thou 
wast  precious  in  My  sight,  thou  hast  been  honorable,  and  I 
have  loved  thee  :  therefore  wili  ^  give  aieti  for  thee,  and  peo- 
ple for  thy  life"  !  O  redemption,  how  wondrously  respicu- 
dent  dost  thou  shine  when  we  think  how  blacic  we  are  i  (' 
Holy  Spirit,  give  us  henceforth  the  hearing  ear,  the  under- 
ecun<liug  heart ! 

30* 


S54  EVENING    READINGS.  Dec.    17. 

"  /  am  the  door ;  by  Me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  he  saved,  and 
shall  go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture."  —  John  x.  9. 

^ESUS,  the  great  I  AM,  is  the  entrance  into  the  true 
church,  and  the  way  of  access  to  God  Himself.     He 
gives  to  the  man  who  comes  to  God  by  Him  font 
choice  privileges. 

1.  He  shah  be  sated.  The  fugitive  manslayer  pas.'«^  1  the 
gate  of  the  city  of  refuge,  and  was  safe.  Noah  entered  the 
door  of  the  ark,  and  was  secure.  None  can  be  lost  wao  take 
Jesus  as  the  door  of  faith  to  their  souls.  Entrance  ♦.hrougb 
Jesus  into  peace  is  the  guarantee  of  entrance  by  the  sa  ne  door 
into  heaven.  Jesus  is  the  only  door,  an  open  dooi ,  a  widfl 
door,  a  safe  door;  and  blessed  is  he  who  rests  all  'As  hopi 
of  admission  to  glory  upon  the  crucified  Kedeemer. 

2.  He  shall  go  in.  He  shall  be  privileged  to  go  ;n  &mon^ 
the  Jivine  family,  sharing  the  children's  bread,  an;l  partici- 
pating in  all  their  honors  and.  enjoyments.  He  shall  go  in  to 
the  chambers  of  communion,  to  the  banquets  of  love,  to  the 
treasures  of  the  covenant,  to  the  storehouses  of  the  promises. 
He  shall  go  in  unto  the  King  of  kings  in  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  the  secret  of  the  Lord  shall  be  with  him. 

3.  He  shall  go  out.  This  blessing  is  much  forgotten.  We 
go  out  into  the  world  to  labor  and  suffer,  but  what  a  mercy  to 
go  in  the  name  and  power  of  Jesus  !  We  are  called  to  besj 
witness  to  the  truth,  to  cheer  the  disconsolate,  to  warn  the 
careless,  to  win  souls,  and  to  glorify  God ;  and  as  the  angel 
said  to  Gideon,  "  Go  in  this  thy  might,"  even  thus  the  Lord 
would  have  us  proceed  as  His  messengers  in  His  name  and 
strength. 

4.  He  shall  find  pasture.  He  who  knows  Jesus  shall  novei 
want.  Going  i;i  and  out  shall  be  alike  helpful  to  him  :  in  fel- 
lowship with  God  he  shall  grow,  and  in  watering  others  he 
shall  be  watered.  Having  made  Jesus  his  all,  he  shall  find 
all  in  Jesus.  His  soul  shall  be  as  a  watered  garden,  and  a# 
•  well  of  water  whose  waters  fail  not. 


Dec.    18.  EVENINU    HEADINGS.  SUA 

"Be  thou  diligent  to  knoto  the  state  of  thy  flocks,  and  look  well  to 
thy  herds."  —  Proverbs  xxvii.  23. 

^^♦s'aVERY  wise  merchant  will  occasionally  bold  a  stock- 
\^m  taking,  when  he  will  cast  up  his  accounts,  examine 
what  he  has  on  hand,  and  ascertain  decisively  whether 
his  trade  is  prosperous  or  declining.  Every  man  who  is  wise 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  will  cry,  "  Search  me,  0  God,  and 
try  me  !  "  and  he  will  frequently  set  apart  special  seasons  for 
self-examination,  to  discover  whether  things  are  right  between 
God  and  his  soul.  The  God  whom  we  worship  is  a  great 
heart-searcher ;  and  of  old  His  servants  knew  Him  as  "  the 
Lord  which  searcheth  the  heart  and  trieth  the  reins  of  the 
children  of  men."  Let  me  stir  you  up  in  His  name  to  make 
diligent  search  and  solemn  trial  of  your  state,  lest  you  come 
short  of  the  promised  rest.  That  which  every  wise  man  does, 
that  which  God  Himself  does  with  us  all,  I  exhort  you  to  do 
with  yourself  this  evening.  Let  the  oldest  saint  look  well  to 
the  fundamentals  of  bis  piety,  for  gray  heads  may  cover  black 
hearts  :  and  let  not  the  young  professor  despise  the  word  of 
warning,  for  the  greenness  of  youth  may  be  joined  to  the 
rottenness  of  hypocrisy.  Every  now  and  then  a  cedar  falls 
in  bur  midst.  The  enemy  still  continues  to  sow  tares  among 
the  wheat.  It  is  not  my  aim  to  introduce  doubts  and  fears 
into  your  mind  ;  nay,  verily,  but  I  shall  hope  the  rather  that 
the  rough  wind  of  self-examination  may  help  to  drive  them 
away.  It  is  not  security,  but  carnal  security,  which  we  would 
kill ;  not  confidence,  but  fleshly  confidence,  which  we  would 
overthrow ;  not  peace,  but  false  peace,  which  we  would  de- 
stroy. By  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  which  was  not  shed 
to  make  you  a  hypocrite,  but  that  sincere  souls  might  show 
forth  His  praise,  I  beseech  you,  search  and  look,  lest  at  the 
last  it  be  said  of  you,  "  Mene,  Mene,  Tekel  —  Thou  art 
veigbed  in  the  balances,  and  art  found  wanting." 


556  EVENING    READINGS.  DeC,    19 

"  4nd  there  was  no  more  sea."  — Revelation  xxi.  1. 

SCARCELY  could  we  rejoice  at  the  thought  of  losir^g 
)M  the  glorious  old  ocean  :  the  new  heavens  and  the  now 
earth  are  none  the  fairer  to  our  imagination,  if,  in- 
deed, literally  there  is  to  Tbe  no  great  and  wide  sea,  with  its 
gleaming  waves  and  shelly  shores.  Is  not  the  text  to  be  read 
as  a  metaphor,  tinged  with  the  prejudice  with  which  the  Ori- 
ental mind  universally  regarded  the  sea  in  the  olden  times  ? 
A  real  physical  world  without  a  sea  it  is  mournful  to  imagine  ; 
it  would  be  an  iron  ring  without  the  sapphire  which  made  it 
precious.  There  must  be  a  spiritual  meaning  here.  In  the 
new  dispensation  there  will  be  no  division  —  the  sea  separates 
nations  and  sunders  peoples  from  each  other.  To  John  in 
Patmos  the  deep  waters  were  like  prison  walls,  shutting  him 
out  from  his  brethren  and  his  work :  there  shall  be  no  such 
barriers  in  the  world  to  come.  Leagues  of  rolling  billows 
lie  between  us  and  many  a  kinsman  whom  to-night  we  prayer- 
fully remember,  but  in  the  bright  world  to  which  we  go 
there  shall  be  unbroken  fellowship  for  all  the  redeemed  fam- 
ily. In  this  sense  there  shall  be  no  more  sea.  The  sea  is 
the  emblem  of  change;  with  its  ebbs  and  flows,  its  glassy 
smoothness  and  its  mountainous  billows,  its  gentle  murmurs 
and  its  tumultuous  roarings,  it  is  never  long  the  same.  Slave 
of  the  fickle  winds  and  the  changeful  moon,  its  instability  is 
proverbial.  In  this  mortal  state  we  have  too  much  of  this ; 
earth  is  constant  only  in  her  inconstancy,  but  in  the  heav- 
enly state  all  mournful  change  shall  be  unknown,  and  with 
it  all  fear  of  storm  to  wreck  our  hopes  and  drown  our  joys. 
The  sea  of  glass  glows  with  a  glory  unbroken  by  a  wave. 
No  tempest  howls  along  the  peaceful  shores  of  paradise. 
Soon  shall  we  reach  that  happy  land  where  partings,  and 
changes,  and  storms  shall  be  ended  !  Jesus  will  waft  us  tliere. 
Are  we  in  Him  or  not  ?     This  is  the  grand  question. 


Dec.  20.  EVENING    READINGS.  357 

"  Call  the  laborers,  and  give  them  their  hire." —  Matt.  xx.  8. 

^  ^OD  is  a  good  paymaster  ;  He  pays  His  servants  while 
at  work  as  well  as  when  they  lave  done  it;  and  one 
of  His  payments  is  this  —  an  easy  conscience.  If  you 
have  spoken  faithfully  of  Jesus  to  one  person,  when  you  go 
to  bed  at  night  you  feel  happy  in  thinking,  "  I  have  this  day 
discharged  ray  conscience  of  that  man's  blood."  There  is  a 
great  comfort  in  doing  something  for  Jesus.  Oh,  what  a  hap- 
piness to  place  jewels  in  His  crown,  and  give  Him  to  see  of 
the  travail  of  His  soul !  There  is  also  very  great  reward  in 
tvatching  the  first  buddings  of  conviction  in  a  soul!  To  say 
of  that  girl  in  the  class,  "  She  is  tender  of  heart ;  I  do  hope  that 
there  is  the  Lord's  work  within."  To  go  home  and  pray  over 
that  boy,  who  said  something  in  the  afternoon  which  made 
you  think  he  must  know  more  of  divine  truth  than  you  had 
feared  !  Oh,  the  joy  of  hope  !  But  as  for  the  joy  of  success  ! 
it  is  unspeakable.  This  joy,  overwhelming  as  it  is,  is  a  hungry 
thing  —  you  pine  for  more  of  it.  To  be  a  soul-winner  is  the 
happiest  thing  in  the  world.  With  every  soul  you  bring  to 
Christ,  you  get  a  new  heaven  upon  earth.  But  who  can  con- 
ceive the  bliss  which  awaits  us  above  ?  Oh,  how  sweet  is  that 
sentence,  "  Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord"  I  Do  you 
know  what  the  joy  of  Christ  is  over  a  saved  sinner  ?  This  is 
the  very  joy  which  we  are  to  possess  in  heaven.  Yes,  when 
He  mounts  the  throne,  you  shall  mount  with  Him.  When 
the  heavens  ring  with  "  Weil  done,  well  done,"  you  shall  par- 
take in  the  reward ;  you  have  toiled  with  Him,  you  have 
suffered  with  Ilim,  you  shall  now  reign  with  Him;  you  have 
sown  with  Him,  you  shall  reap  with  Him  your  face  was  cov- 
ered with  sweat  like  His,  and  your  soul  was  grieved  for  the 
sins  of  men  as  His  soul  was,  now  shall  your  face  be  blight 
with  heaven's  splendor  as  is  His  countenance,  and  now  fchall 
your  Boul  be  filled  with  beatific  joys  even  as  His  soul  is. 


858  EVENING    READINGS.  DcC.   21. 

r  ■ — ■ ' 

"  /  clothed  thee  also  with  broidered  work,  and  shod  thee  tcith  bad' 
gers"  skin,  and  I  girded  thee  about  with  fine  linen,  and  I  covered 
thee  tcith  silk."  —  Ezekiel  xvi.  10. 

^EE  with  what  matchless  generosity  the  Lord  proTides 
^w  for  His  people's  apparel.  They  are  so  arrayed  that 
the  divine  skill  is  seen  producing  an  unrivalled  braid' 
ered  work,  in  which  every  attrihute  takes  its  part  and  every 
divine  beauty  is  revealed.  No  art  like  the  art  displayed  in 
our  salvation,  no  cunning  workmanship  like  that  beheld  in  the 
righteousness  of  the  saints.  Justification  has  engrossed 
learned  pens  in  all  ages  of  the  church,  and  will  be  the  theme 
of  admiration  in  eternity.  God  has  indeed  "  curiously  wrought 
it."  With  all  this  elaboration  there  is  mingled  utility  and 
durability,  comparable  to  our  being  shod  with  badgers'  skin. 
The  animal  here  meant  is  unknown,  but  its  skin  covered  the 
tabernacle,  and  formed  one  of  the  finest  and  strongest  leath- 
ers known.  The  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith 
endureth  forever,  and  he  who  is  shod  with  this  divine  prep- 
aration will  tread  the  desert  safely,  and  may  even  set  his  foot 
upon  the  lion  and  the  adder.  Purity  and  dignity  of  our  holy 
vesture  are  brought  out  in  the  fine  linen.  When  the  Lord 
sanctifies  His  people,  they  are  clad  as  priests  in  pure  white ; 
not  the  snow  itself  excels  them ;  they  are  in  the  eyes  of  men 
and  angels  fair  to  look  upon,  and  even  in  the  Lord's  eyes 
they  are  without  spot.  Meanwhile  the  royal  apparel  is  deli- 
cate and  rich  as  silk.  No  expense  is  spared,  no  beauty  with- 
held, no  daintiness  denied. 

What  then  ?  Is  there  no  inference  from  this  ?  Surely 
there  is  gratitude  to  be  felt  and  joy  to  be  expressed.  Come, 
my  heart,  refuse  not  thy  evening  hallelujah  !  Tunt  thy  pipep  ,' 
Touch  thy  chords  ! 

"  strangely,  my  soul,  art  thou  arrayed 
By  the  Great  Sacred  Three  ! 
In  sweetest  barraon/  of  praise 
Let  all  thy  powers  agree." 


D^C.  22.  EVENINO    "HEADINGS.  859 

"  The  spot  of  His  childicn."  —  Deuteronomy  xxxii.  6. 

tf,HAT  is  the  secret  spo.  which  infallibly  betokens  the 
child  of  God  ?  It  were  vain  presumption  to  decide 
this  upon  our  own  judgment;  but  God's  word  reveals 
it  to  us,  and  we  may  tread  surely  where  we  have  revelation' 
to  be  our  guide.  Now,  we  are  told  concerning  our  Lord, 
"  to  as  many  as  received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  as  many  as  believed  on  His 
name."  Then,  if  I  have  received  Christ  Jesus  into  my  heart., 
I  am  a  child  of  God,  That  reception  is  described  in  the  same 
verse  as  believing  on  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  If,  then,  I 
believe  on  Jesns  Christ's  name  —  that  is,  simply  from  my 
heart  trust  myself  with  the  crucified,  but  now  exalted.  Re- 
deemer, I  am  a  member  of  the  family  of  the  Most  High. 
Whatever  else  I  may  not  have,  if  I  have  this,  I  have  the 
privilege  to  become  a  child  of  God.  Our  Lord  Jesus  puts 
it  in  another  shape.  "  My  sheep  hear  My  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  Me."  Here  is  the  matter  in  a  nutshell, 
Christ  appears  as  a  shepherd  to  His  own  sheep,  not  to  others. 
As  soon  as  He  appears.  His  own  sheep  perceive  Him  —  they 
trust  Him,  they  are  prepared  to  follow  Him  ;  He  knows  them, 
and  they  know  Him  —  there  is  a  mutual  knowledge  —  there 
is  a  constant  connection  between  them.  Thus  the  one  mark, 
the  sure  mark,  the  infallible  mark  of  regeneration  and  adop- 
tion is  a  hearty  fait^  in  the  appointed  Redeemer.  Reader, 
are  you  in  doubt,  are  you  uncertain  whether  you  bear  the 
secret  mark  of  God's  children  ?  Then  let  not  an  hour  pass 
over  your  head  till  you  have  said,  "  Search  me,  0  God,  and 
know  my  heart."  Trifle  not  here,  I  adjure  you!  If  you 
fliust  trifle  anywhere,  let  it  be  about  some  secondary  matter : 
your  health,  if  you  will,  or  the  title  deeds  of  your  estate ; 
but  about  your  soul,  your  never-dying  soul  and  its  eternal 
destinies,  I  beseech  you  be  in  earnest.  Make  sure  work  fo* 
eternity. 


360  evek;    G  READINGS.  Dcc.  23. 


"  Tlie  night  also  is  Thine."  —  Psalm  Ixxiv.  16. 


5ES,  Lord,  Thou  dost  not  abdicate  Thy  throne  when 
^ill  i  ^^^^  ^^^  goeth  down,  nor  dost  Thou  leave  the  world 
"^j^  all  through  these  long  wintry  nights  to  be  the  prey 
of  evil ;  Thine  eyes  watch  us  as  the  stars,  and  Thine 
arms  surround  us  as  the  zodiac  belts  the  sky.  The  dews  of 
kindly  sleep  and  all  the  influences  of  the  moon  are  in  Thy 
hand;  and  the  alarms  and  solemnities  of  night  are  equally 
with  Thee.  This  is  very  sweet  to  me  when  watchiig  through 
the  midnight  hours,  or  tossing  to  and  fro  in  anguish.  There 
are  precious  fruits  put  forth  by  the  moon  as  well  as  by  the  sun  : 
may  my  Lord  make  me  to  be  a  favored  partaker  in  them. 

The  night  of  affliction  is  as  much  under  the  arrangement 
and  control  of  the  Lord  of  Love  as  the  bright  summer  days 
when  all  is  bliss.  Jesus  is  in  the  tempest.  His  love  wraps 
the  night  about  itself  as  a  mantle,  but  to  the  eye  of  faith  the 
sable  robe  is  scarce  a  disguise.  From  the  first  watch  of  the 
night  even  unto  the  break  of  day  the  eternal  Watcher  observes 
His  saints,  and  overrules  the  shades  and  dews  of  midnight 
for  His  people's  highest  good.  We  believe  in  no  rival  de- 
ities of  good  and  evil  contending  for  the  mastery,  but  we  hear 
the  voice  of  Jehovah  saying,  "  I  create  light  and  I  create 
darkness ;  I,  the  Lord,  do  all  these  things." 

Gloomy  seasons  of  religious  indifference  and  social  sin  are 
not  exempted  from  the  divine  purpose.  *  When  the  altars  of 
truth  are  defiled,  and  the  ways  of  God  forsaken,  the  Lord's 
servants  weep  with  bitter  sorrow,  but  they  may  not  despair, 
for  the  darkest  eras  are  governed  by  the  Lord,  and  shall 
come  to  their  end  at  His  bidding.  What  may  seem  defeat 
io  us,  may  be  victory  to  Him. 

"  Though  enwrapt  in  gloomy  night, 
We  perceive  no  ray  of  liglit ; 
Since  the  Lord  Himself  is  here, 
•Ti8  not  meet  that  we  should  fear." 


Dec.   24.  EVENING    READINGS.  361 

•'  The  ylonj  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  Jlesh  shall  see  U 
together."  —  Isaiah  xl.  5. 

]:i^E  anticipate  the  happy  day  when  the  whole  world  shall 
be  converted  to  Christ ;  when  the  gods  of  the  heathen 
shall  be  cast  to  the  moles  and  the  bats  ;  when  Ro- 
manism shall  be  exploded,  and  the  crescent  of  IMoharamed 
shall  wane,  never  again  to  cast  its  baleful  rays  upon  the  na- 
tions ;  when  kings  shall  bow  down  before  the  Prince  of  Peace, 
and  all  nations  shall  call  their  Redeemer  blessed.  Some  de- 
spair of  this.  They  look  upon  the  world  as  a  vessel  break- 
ing up  and  going  to  pieces,  never  to  float  again.  "We  know 
that  the  world,  and  all  that  is  therein,  is  one  day  to  be  burnt 
up,  and  afterwards  we  look  for  new  heavens  and  for  a  new 
earth  ;  but  we  cannot  read  our  Bibles  without  the  conviction 
that  — 

'*  Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun 
Does  his  successive  journeys  run." 

VVe  are  not  discouraged  by  the  length  of  His  delays  ;  we  are 
not  disheartened  by  the  long  period  which  He  allots  to  the 
church  in  which  to  struggle  with  little  success  and  much  de- 
feat. We  believe  that  God  will  never  suffer  this  world,  which 
has  once  seen  Christ's  blood  shed  upon  it,  to  be  always  the 
devil's  stronghold.  Christ  came  hither  to  deliver  this  world 
from  the  detested  sway  of  the  powers  of  darkness.  What  a 
shout  shall  that  be  when  men  and  angels  shall  unite  to  cry, 
♦'  Hallelujah,  hallelujah,  for  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  reign- 
eth  !  "  What  a  satisfaction  will  it  be  in  that  day  to  have  had 
a  share  in  the  fight,  to  have  helped  to  break  the  arrows  of  the 
bow,  and  to  have  aided  in  winning  the  victory  for  our  Lord ! 
Happy  are  they  who  trust  themselves  with  this  conquering 
Lord,  and  who  light  side  by  side  with  Him,  doing  their  little 
in  His  name  and  by  His  strength  !  How  unhappy  are  those 
on  the  side  of  evil  !  It  is  a  losing  side,  and  it  is  a  matter 
wherein  to  lose  is  to  lose  and  to  be  lost  forever.  On  whose 
side  are  you  ? 

31 


862  EVENING    READINGS.  DeC.   25 


"And  it  was  so,  when  the  days  of  their  feasting  were  gone  ahou', 
that  Job  sent  and  sanctified  them,  and  rose  up  early  in  the  morn- 
ing,  and  offered  burnt  offerings  according  to  the  number  of  them 
all :  for  Job  said,  It  may  be  that  my  sons  have  sinned,  and  cursed 
Qod  in  their  hearts.     Thus  did  Job  continually."  —  Job  i.  5." 

klj^lHAT  the  patriarch  did  early  in  the  morning,  after  the 
family  festivities,  it  will  be  well  for  the  believer  to  do 
for  himself  ere  he  rests  to-night.  Amid  the  cheer- 
fulness of  household  gatherings  it  is  easy  to  slide  into  sinful 
levities,  and  to  forget  our  avowed  character  as  Christians. 
It  ought  not  to  be  so  ;  but  so  it  is,  that  our  days  of  feasting 
are  very  seldom  days  of  sanctified  enjoyment,  but  too  fre- 
quently degenerate  into  unhallowed  mirth.  There  is  a  way 
of  joy  as  pure  and  sanctifying  as  though  one  bathed  in  the 
rivers  of  Eden  :  holy  gratitude  should  be  quite  as  purifying 
an  element  as  grief.  Alas  for  our  poor  hearts,  that  facts 
prove  that  the  house  of  mourning  is  better  than  the  house 
of  feasting !  Come,  believer,  in  what  have  you  sinned  to- 
day ?  Have  you  been  forgetful  of  your  high  calling  ?  Have 
you  been  even  as  others  in  idle  words  and  loose  speeches  ? 
Then  confess  the  sin,  and  fly  to  the  sacrifice.  The  sacrifice 
sanctifies.  The  precious  blood  of  the  Lamb  slain  removes 
the  guilt,  and  purges  away  the  defilement  of  our  sins  of  ig- 
norance and  carelessness.  This  is  the  best  ending  of  a 
Christmas-day  —  to  wash  anew  in  the  cleansing  fountain. 
Believer,  come  to  this  sacrifice  continually  ;  if  it  be  so  good 
to-night,  it  is  good  every  night.  To  live  at  the  altar  is  the 
privilege  of  the  royal  priesthood  ;  to  them  sin,  great  as  it  is, 
is  nevertheless  no  cause  for  despair,  since  they  draw  neir 
yet  again  to  the  sin-atoning  victim,  and  their  conscience  '.r 
purged  from  dead  works. 

•«  Gladly  I  close  this  festive  day, 

Graspinjf  the  altar's  hallowed  horn; 
My  slips  and  Caults  are  washed  away; 
The  Lamb  has  all  my  trespass  bora6." 


Dec.   26.  EVENING    READINGS.  363 

•*  Lo,  I  am  with  you  ohcay."  —  Matthew  xxTiii.  20. 

^HE  Lord  Jesus  is  in  the  midst  of  Ills  church  ;  lie 
^tI  walketh  among  the  golden  candlesticks  ;  His  promise 
is,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway."  He  is  as  surely  with 
us  now  as  He  was  with  the  disciples  at  the  lake,  when  thej 
saw  coals  of  fire,  and  fish  laid  thereon,  and  bread.  Not  car- 
nally, but  still  in  real  truth,  Jesus  is  with  us.  And  a  blessed 
truth  it  is,  for  where  Jesus  is,  love  becomes  inflamed.  Of  all 
the  things  in  the  world  that  can  set  the  heart  burning,  there 
is  nothing  like  the  presence  of  Jesus  I  A  glimpse  of  Him 
80  overcomes  us,  that  we  are  ready  to  say,  "  Turn  away  Thine 
eyes  from  me,  for  they  have  overcome  me."  Even  the  smell 
of  the  aloes,  and  the  myrrh,  and  the  cassia,  which  drop  from 
His  perfumed  garments,  causes  the  sick  and  the  faint  to  grow 
strong.  Let  there  be  but  a  moment's  leaning  of  the  head 
upon  that  gracious  bosom,  and  a  reception  of  His  divine  love 
into  our  poor  cold  hearts,  and  we  are  cold  no  longer,  but 
glow  like  seraphs,  equal  to  every  labor,  and  capable  of  every 
suffering.  If  we  know  that  Jesus  is  with  us,  every  power  will 
he  developed,  and  every  grace  will  be  strengthened,  and  we 
shall  cast  ourselves  into  the  Lord's  service  with  heart,  and 
soul,  and  strength  ;  therefore  is  the  presence  of  Christ  to  be 
desired  above  all  things.  His  presence  will  he  most  realized 
by  those  who  are  most  like  Him.  If  you  desire  to  see  Christ, 
you  must  grow  in  conformity  to  Him.  luring  yourself,  by 
the  power  of  the  Spirit,  into  union  with  Christ's  desires,  and 
motives,  and  plans  of  action,  and  you  are  likely  to  be  favored 
with  His  company.  Remember  His  presence  may  he  had- 
Ills  p.-omioe  is  as  true  as  ever.  He  delights  to  be  with  us. 
if  He  doth  not  come,  it  is  because  we  hinder  Him  by  our 
indifference.  He  will  reveal  Himself  to  our  earnest  prayers, 
and  graciously  suffer  Himself  to  be  detained  by  our  entrea- 
ties, and  by  our  tears,  for  these  are  the  goldeu  chains  which 
bind  Jesus  to  Hi&  people. 


564  EVENING    KEADINGS.  DcC.  27. 

"  A7id  the  LOUD  shall  guide  thee  continually."  —  Isaiah  IvIIi.  11. 


"^o^HE   Lord  shall  guide   thee."     Not  an   angel,   but 


^W  Jehoa'ah  shall  guide  thee.     He  said  He  would  not 


go  through  the  wilderness  before  His  people  ;  an 
angel  should  go  before  them  to  lead  them  in  the  way  ;  but 
Moses  said,  "  If  Thy  presence  go  not  with  rae,  carry  us  not 
up  hence."  Christian,  God  has  not  left  you  in  your  earthly 
pilgrimage  to  an  angel's  guidance  :  He  Himself  leads  the 
van.  You  mtiy  not  see  the  cloudy,  fiery  pillar,  but  Jehovah 
will  never  forsake  you.  Notice  the  word  shall  —  "  The 
Lord  shall  guide  thee."  How  certain  this  makes  it !  How 
sure  it  is  that  God  will  not  forsake  us  !  His  precious 
"  shalls  "  and  "  wills  "  are  better  than  men's  oaths.  "  I  will 
never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee."  Then  observe  the  ad- 
verb continually.  We  are  not  merely  to  be  guided  some- 
times, but  we  are  to  have  a  perpetual  monitor  ;  not  occasion- 
ally to  be  left  to  our  own  understanding,  and  so  to  wander, 
but  we  are  continually  to  hear  the  guiding  voice  of  the  Great 
Shepherd  ;  and  if  we  follow  close  at  His  heels,  we  shall  not 
err,  but  be  led  by  a  right  way  to  a  city  to  dwell  in.  If  you 
have  to  change  your  position  in  life  ;  if  you  have  to  emi- 
grate to  distant  shores  ;  if  it  sh-'uld  happen  that  you  are 
cast  into  poverty,  or  upliftea  saddfiuh  into  a  more  respon- 
sible position  than  the  ;>ce  you  uow  occupy  ;  if  you  are 
thrown  among  strangers,  or  cast  among  foes,  yet  tremble 
not,  for  "  the  Lord  shall  guide  thee  continually."  There 
are  no  dilemmas  out  of  which  you  shall  not  be  delivered  if 
you  live  near  to  God,  and  your  heart  be  kept  warm  with  holy 
love.  He  goes  not  amiss  who  goes  in  the  company  of  God. 
Like  Enoch,  walk  with  God,  and  you  cannot  mistake  your 
road.  You  have  infallible  wisdom  to  direct  you,  immutable 
love  to  comfort  you,  and  eternal  power  to  defend  you. 
"  Jehovah  "  —  mark  the  word  —  "  Jehovah  shall  guide  the* 
continually." 


Dec.   23.  EVENING    READINGS.  36.i 

"  I  came  nut  to  send  peace  on  earth,  f)ut  a  sicord."  —  Matt.  x.  34. 

^^^J.ll'E  Christian  will  be  sure  to  make  enemies.  It  will 
<cl,IU\^  be  one  of  his  objects  to  make  none  ;  but  if  to  do  the 
'^^^'^Si^  right,  and  to  believe  the  true,  should  cause  him  to 
lose  every  earthly  friend,  he  will  count  it  but  a  small  loss, 
since  his  great  Friend  in  heaven  will  be  yet  more  friendly, 
and  reveal  Himself  to  him  more  graciously  than  ever.  0 
ye  who  have  taken  up  His  cross,  know  ye  not  what  your  Mas- 
ter said  ?  "I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his 
father,  and  the  daughter  against  her  mother  ;  and  a  man's 
foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  household."  Christ  is  the  great 
Peacemaker  ;  but  before  peace.  He  brings  war.  Where  the 
light  Cometh,  the  darkness  must  retire.  Where  truth  is,  the 
lie  must  flee  ;  or,  if  it  abideth,  there  must  be  a  stern  con- 
flict, for  the  truth  cannot  and  will  not  lower  its  standard,  and 
the  lie  must  be  trodden  under  foot.  If  you  follow  Christ, 
you  shall  have  all  the  dogs  of  the  world  3'elping  at  your  heels. 
If  you  would  live  so  as  to  stand  the  test  of  the  last  tri- 
bunal, depend  upon  it  the  world  will  not  speak  well  of  you 
He  who  has  the  friendship  of  the  world,  is  an  enemy  to  God  ; 
but  if  you  are  true  and  faithful  to  the  Most  High,  men  will 
resent  your  unflinching  fidelity,  since  it  is  a  testimony  against 
their  iniquities.  Fearless  of  all  consequences,  you  must  do 
the  right.  You  will  need  the  courage  of  a  lion  unhesitat- 
ingly to  pursue  a  course  which  shall  turn  your  best  friend 
into  your  fiercest  foe  ;  but  for  the  love  of  Jesus  you  must 
thus  be  courageous.  For  the  truth's  sake  to  hazard  reputa- 
tion and  affection,  is  such  a  deed  that  to  do  it  constantly  you 
will  need  a  degree  of  moral  principle  which  only  the  Spirit 
of  God  can  work  in  you  ;  yet  turn  not  your  back  like  a  cow- 
ard, but  play  the  man.  Follow  right  manfully  in  your  Mas- 
ter's steps,  for  He  has  traversed  this  rough  way  before  you 
Better  a  brief  warfare  and  eternal  rest,  than  false  peace  ma 
everlasting  torment 
31* 


366  EVENING    READINGS.  DeO.  29, 

"  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  "  —  Matthew  xxii.  42. 

^riE  great  test  of  your  soul's  health  is.  What  think  yyK 
of  Christ  ?  Is  He  to  you  "  fairer  than  the  children 
of  men  "  —  ''  the  chief  among  ten  thousand  "  —  tba 
"  altogether  lovely"  ?  Wherever  Christ  is  thus  esteemed, 
all  the  faculties  of  the  spiritual  man  exercise  themselves  with 
energy.  I  will  judge  of  your  piety  by  this  barometer  :  does 
Christ  stand  high  or  low  with  you  ?  If  you  have  thought  little 
of  Christ,  if  you  have  been  content  to  live  without  His  pres- 
ence, if  you  have  cared  little  for  His  honor,  if  you  have  been 
neglectful  of  His  laws,  then  I  know  that  your  soul  is  sick  — 
God  grant  that  it  may  not  be  sick  unto  death  !  But  if  the 
first  thought  of  your  spirit  has  been.  How  can  I  honor  Jesus  ? 
if  the  daily  desire  of  your  soul  has  been,  "Oh  that  I  knew 
where  I  might  find  Him  ! "  I  tell  you  that  you  may  have  a 
thousand  infirmities,  and  even  scarcely  know  whether  you  are 
a  child  of  God  at  all,  and  yet  I  am  persuaded,  beyond  a  doubt, 
that  you  are  safe,  since  Jesus  is  great  in  your  esteem.  I 
«are  not  for  thy  rags ;  what  thinkest  thou  of  -Eft's  royal  ap- 
parel ?  I  care  not  for  thy  wounds,  though  they  bleed  in 
torrents ;  what  thinkest  thou  of  His  wounds  ?  are  they  like 
glittering  rubies  in  thine  esteem  ?  I  think  none  the  less  of 
thee,  mough  thou  liest  like  Lazarus  on  the  dunghill,  and  the 
dogs  do  lick  thee  —  I  judge  thee  not  by  thy  poverty  :  whai 
thinkest  thou  of  the  King  in  His  beauty  ?  Has  He  a  glori- 
ous high  throne  in  thy  heart  ?  Wouldst  thou  set  Him  higher 
if  thou  couldst  ?  Wouldst  thou  be  willing  to  die  if  thou 
couldst  but  add  another  tvumpet  to  the  strain  which  pro- 
claims His  praise  ?  Ah  !  then  it  is  well  with  thee.  What- 
ever then  mayst  think  of  thyself,  if  Christ  be  great  ta  thee, 
thou  shalt  be  with  Him  ere  long. 

"  Though  all  the  world  my  choice  deride. 
Yet  Jesua  shall  my  portion  be; 
For  I  am  pleased  with  none  besWe; 
The  fairest  of  the  fair  is  He." 


Doc.  30  EVENING    READINGS.  367 

"Knowest  thou  not  that  it  will  he  bitterness  in  the  latter  end?" 
2  Samuel  ii.  26. 

^^llfTP,  0  my  reader  !  thon  art  merely  a  professor,  and  not 
&^  jk^  a  possessor  of  the  faith  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  the 
y/^*^^  following  lines  are  a  true  sketcli  of  thine  end. 

You  are  a  respectable  attendant  at  a  place  of  worship  ; 
jou  go  because  others  go,  not  because  your  heart  i:^  right 
with  God.  This  is  your  beginning.  I  will  suppose  that  for 
the  next  twenty  or  thirty  years  you  will  be  spared  to  go  on 
as  you  do  now,  professing  religion  by  an  outward  attendance 
upon  the  means  of  grace,  but  having  no  heart  in  the  matter. 
Tread  softly,  for  I  must  show  you  the  death-bed  of  such  a 
one  au  yourself.  Let  us  gaze  upon  him  gently.  A  clammy 
sweat  is  on  his  brow,  and  he  wakes  up  crying,  "  0  God,  it 
is  ha^-d  to  die.  Did  you  send  for  my  minister  ? "  "  Yes, 
he  id  coming."  The  minister  comes.  "  Sir,  I  fear  that  I 
am  dying  !  "  "  Have  you  any  hope  ?  "  "I  cannot  say  that 
I  have.  I  fear  to  stand  before  my  God  ;  oh  !  pray  for  me." 
The  prayer  is  offered  for  him  with  sincere  earnestness,  and 
the  way  of  salvation  is  for  the  ten- thousandth  time  put  be- 
fore him ;  but  before  he  has  grasped  the  rope,  I  see  him 
sink.  I  may  put  my  finger  upon  those  cold  eyelids,  for  they 
will  never  see  anything  here  again.  But  where  is  the  man, 
and  where  are  the  man's  true  eyes  ?  It  is  written,  "  In  hell 
be  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torment."  Ah  !  why  did  he 
not  lift  up  his  eyes  before  ?  Because  he  was  so  accustomed 
to  hear  the  gospel  that  his  soul  slept  under  it.  Alas  !  if 
you  should  lift  up  your  eyes  there,  how  bitter  would  be  your 
wailings !  Let  the  Saviour's  own  words  reveal  the  woe: 
"  Father  Abraham,  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of 
his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue,  for  I  am  tormented 
:a  tliis  flame."  There  is  a  frightful  meaning  in  tho^e  words. 
^'ay  you  never  have  to  spell  it  out  by  the  red  light  of  Jeho« 
vah's  wrath ! 


868  EVENING    READINGS.  Dec.  31 


"  Tlie  harvest  ii  past,  the  summer  is  ended,  and  ice  are  not  saved.''* 
Jeremiah  viii.  20. 


iOT  saved  I  Dear  reader,  is  this  your  mournful  plight  ? 
''S  Warned  of  the  judgment  to  come,  bidden  to  escape 
for  your  life,  and  yet  at  this  moment  not  saved  I  You 
know  the  way  of  salvation,  you  read  it  in  the  Bible,  you  hear 
it  from  the  pulpit,  it  is  explained  to  you  by  friends,  and  yet 
you  neglect  it,  and  therefore  are  not  saved.  You  will  be  with- 
out excuse  when  the  Lord  shall  judge  the  quick  and  dead. 
The  Holy  Spirit  has  given  more  or  less  of  blessing  upon  the 
word  which  has  been  preached  in  your  hearing,  and  times  of 
refreshing  have  come  from  the  divine  presence,  and  yet  you 
are  without  Christ.  All  these  hopeful  seasons  have  come  and 
gone  —  your  summer  and  your  harvest  have  past  —  and  yet 
you  are  not  saved.  Years  have  followed  one  another  into  eter- 
nity, and  your  last  year  will  soon  be  here ;  youth  has  gone, 
manhood  is  going,  and  yet  you  are  not  saved.  Let  me  ask 
you  —  Will  you  ever  be  saved  ?  Is  there  any  likelihood  of  it  ? 
Already  the  most  propitious  seasons  have  left  you  unsaved : 
will  other  occasions  alter  your  condition  ?  Means  have  failed 
with  you  —  the  best  of  means,  used  perseveringly  and  with 
the  utmost  affection  —  what  more  can  be  done  for  you  ?  Af- 
fliction and  prosperity  have  alike  failed  to  impress  you  ;  tears 
and  prayers  and  sermons  have  been  wasted  on  your  barren 
heart.  Are  not  the  probabilities  dead  against  your  ever  be- 
ing saved  ?  Is  it  not  more  than  likely  that  you  will  abide  as 
you  are  till  death  forever  bars  the  door  of  ho^pe  ?  Do  you 
recoil  from  the  supposition  ?  Yet  it  is  a  most  reasonable  one  : 
he  who  is  not  washed  in  so  many  waters  will  in  all  probability 
go  filthy  to  his  end.  The  convenient  time  never  has  come ;  why 
should  it  ever  come  ?  It  is  logical  to  fear  that  it  never  will 
arrive,  and  that,  Felix-like,  you  will  find  no  convenient  season 
cill  you  are  in  hell.  Oh,  bethink  you  of  what  that  hell  is,  and 
of  the  dread  probability  that  you  will  soon  be  cast  into  it ! 


EVENING    READINGS.  369 


Reader,  suppose  you  should  die  unsaved,  your  doom  no 
words  can  picture.  Write  out  your  dread  estate  in  tears  and 
blood,  talk  of  it  with  groans  and  gnashing  of  teeth  ;  you  ^«■i!] 
'be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  His  power.  A  brother's  voice 
would  fain  startle  you  into  earnestness.  Oh,  be  wise,  be  wise 
in  time,  and  ere  another  year  begins,  believe  in  Jesus,  who 
is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost.  Consecrate  these  last  hours 
to  lonely  thought,  and  if  deep  repentance  be  bred  in  you,  it 
will  be  well ;  and  if  it  lead  to  a  humble  faith  in  Jesus,  it  will 
be  best  of  all.  Oh,  see  to  it  that  this  year  pass  not  away,  and 
you  an  unforgiven  spirit.  Let  not  the  new  year's  midnij;ht 
peals  sound  upon  a  joyless  spirit.  Noxo,  now,  NOW,  believe, 
and  live.  '•  Escape  for  thy  life  ;  look  not  behind  thee, 

NEITHER    STAY    THOU    IN    ALL    THE    PLAIN;     ESCAPE    TO    Till 
MOUNTAIN,  LEST   THOU  BE   CONSUMED." 


H  Y  M  N^  S 


EVENING    AVORSHIP 


\xMt  or  in  tjje  Ji^milii 


•'In  the  night  his  song  shall  be  with  mc,  and  my  prayer 
unto  the  God  of  my  life." 

J'snlm  xlii.  8. 


(37n 


NOTE. 


j[^5  it  is  not  always  easy,  in  tV-ese  times  of  hurry 
and  bustle,  to  select  suitable  verses  for  evening 
devotion,  I  have  ventured  to  cull  a  few  choice 
words  cf  the  sacred  poets,  which  I  trust  may  accepta- 
bly exprese  the  thanksgivings  of  believers.  The  verses 
are  rather  more  numerous  than  those  arranged  in  the 
morning  portions,  because  it  may  be  possible  to  allow  a 
little  more  time  for  the  evening  exercise.  The  tunes 
are  mostly  from  the  Union  Tune  Book,  and  have  been 
chosen  on  account  of  their  simplicity.  If  there  be  mel- 
ody in  the  heart,  the  household  song  will  not  be  less 
acceptable  than  the  full  choir  of  the  temple  of  old,  with 
its  laelodious  harps  and  high-sounding  cymbals.  How 
pisasant  is  the  reflection  that  our  heart-music  i^  heard 
in  heaven!  Behold,  even  now  it  cometh  up  like  sweet 
rerfume  before  the  Sacred  Majesty.  The  vials  full  of 
fragrant  odors,  and  the  harps  of  sweetest  sound,  are  still 
before  the  heavenly  throne,  and  as  Watts  sings  — 

•'Those  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints, 

And  these  the  hymns  they  raise; 
Jeaus  is  kind  to  our  complaints; 

He  loves  to  hear  our  praise," 

(372) 


EVENING    HYMNS 

For  the  months  of  January,  March,  May,  July,  September,  and 
November. 


S' 


IsT  Evening.     8, 7.  Mariner's.     Haydn'* 

AVIOUR,  breaiLe  an  evening  blessing 
Ere  repose  'ur  spirits  seal; 
Sin  and  want  we  come  confessing ; 

Thou  canst  r.h.ve,  rtnd  Thou  canst  heal. 

Though  desftuciioa  walk  around  us. 

Though  Ae  arrow  past  us  fly, 
Angel-gua'd:,  ^'<\'ni  Thee  surround  UJ  r; 

We  are  saie  1/  Thou  art  nigh. 

Though  the  night  be  dark  and  dreary, 

Darkness  cannot  hide  from  Thee  ; 
Thou  art  He,  who,  never  weary, 

Watchest  where  Thy  people  be. 

Should  swift  dsath  this  night  o'ertake  'jr. 

And  our  couch  become  our  too/b. 
May  the  morn  in  heaven  awake  'je, 

Clad  in  light  and  deathless  ulootc. 

2 o  Evening.    L.  M.  Evening  Hymn.     Old  ilnndrec*  % 

GLORY  to  Thee,  my  God,  this  night. 
For  all  the  blessings  of  the  light ; 
Keep  me,  oh,  keep  me.  King  of  Kings, 
Beneath  Thine  own  almighty  wings. 

Forgive  me.  Lord,  for  Thy  dear  Son, 
The  ill  that  I  this  day  have  done ; 
That  with  the  world,  myself,  and  Thee, 
I,  ere  I  sleep,  at  peace  may  be. 

Teach  me  to  live,  that  I  may  dread 
The  grave  as  little  as  my  bed ; 
Teach  me  to  die,  that  so  I  may 
Rise  glorious  at  the  judgment  day. 

Oh,  may  my  soul  on  Thee  repose. 
And  with  sweet  sleep  mine  eyelids  close; 
Sleep  that  may  me  more  vigorous  make 
To  serve  my  God  when  I  awake. 

3^  (»«> 


874  HYMNS    FOB    EVENING    WOKSHIP. 


S' 


3d  Evening,    L.  M.  Pascal.    Rockingharn. 

UN  of  my  soul,  Thou  Saviour  dear, 
It  is  not  night  if  Thou  be  near : 
Oh,  may  no  earth-born  cloud  arise 
To  hide  Thee  from  Thy  servant's  eyes. 

When  the  soft  dews  of  kindly  sleep 
My  wearied  eyelids  gently  steep, 
Be  my  last  thought,  how  sweet  to  rest 
Forever  on  my  Saviour's  breast ! 

Abide  with  me  from  morn  till  eve. 
For  without  Thee  I  cannot  live  ; 
Abide  with  me  when  night  is  nigh. 
For  without  Thee  I  dare  not  die. 


4'.  ■»  F.VENiNG.    7'8.  Kdl.    Oerman  Hymn. 

OFTLY  now  the  light  of  day 
Fades  upon  my  sight  away ; 
Free  from  care,  from  labor  free, 
Lord,  I  would  commune  with  Thee  I 


S' 


Thou  whose  all-pervq,ding  eye 
Nought  escapes,  without,  within. 
Pardon  each  infirmity. 
Open  fault  and  secret  sin. 

Soon  for  me  the  light  of  day 
Shall  forever  pass  away ; 
Then,  from  sin  and  sorrow  free. 
Take  me,  Lord,  to  dwell  with  Thee! 


6th  Evening.    C.  M.  Tiverton,    French 

S  helpless  as  a  child  who  clings 
Fast  to  his  father's  arm. 
And  casts  his  weakness  on  the  strength 
That  keeps  him  safe  from  harm,  — 


A' 


So  I,  my  Father,  cling  to  Thee, 

And  thus  I  every  hour 
Would  link  my  earthly  feebleness 

To  Thine  almighty  power. 


HYMNS    FOB    EVENING    WORSHIP.  375 

eiH  Evening.    C.  M.  Stephen't.    London. 

DKEAD  Sovereign,  let  my  evening  song 
Like  holy  incense  rise  ; 
Assist  the  offerings  of  my  tongue 
To  reach  the  lofty  skies. 

Through  all  the  dangers  of  the  day 

Thy  hand  was  still  my  guard  ; 
And  still  to  drive  my  wants  away. 

Thy  mercy  stood  prepared. 

Sprinkled  afresh  with  pardoning  blood, 

I  lay  me  down  to  rest, 
As  in  the  embraces  of  my  God, 

Or  on  my  Saviour's  breast. 


7th  Evening.    C.  M.  Farrant.    MagutUi 

OW  from  the  altar  of  my  heart 
Let  incense-flames  arise ; 
Assist  me,  Lord,  to  ofi'er  up 
Mine  evening  sacrifice. 


N' 


Minutes  and  mercies  multiplied. 
Have  made  up  all  this  day : 

Minutes  came  quick,  but  mercies  wera 
More  fleet  and  free  than  they. 

New  time,  new  favor,  and  new  joys. 

Do  a  new  song  require  ; 
Till  I  should  praise  Thee  as  I  would. 

Accept  my  heart's  desire. 

Lord  of  my  time,  whose  hand  hath  set 

New  time  upon  my  score, 
Thee  may  I  praise  for  all  my  time. 

When  time  shall  be  no  more 


376  HYMNS    FOR    EVENING    WORSHIP. 


3th  Evening.    C.  M.  Abridge.    Ann't, 

|H,  how  I  love  Thy  holy  law  ! 
'Tis  daily  my  delight; 
And  thence  my  meditations  draw 
Divine  advice  by  night. 


o 


Am  I  a  stranger,  or  at  home, 
'Tis  my  perpetual  feast ; 

Not  honey  dropping  from  the  comb 
So  much  allures  the  taste. 


9Tn  Evening.    C.  M.  Evan.    Warwick 

HEN  wilt  Thou  come  unto  me,  Lord  ? 
Oh,  come,  my  Lord  most  dear ! 
Come  near,  come  nearer,  nearer  still ; 
I'm  blest  when  Thou  art  near. 


w 


When  wilt  Thou  come  unto  me.  Lord  ? 

I  languish  for  the  sight ; 
Ten  thousand  suns,  when  Thou  art  hid, 

Are  shades  instead  of  light. 

When  wilt  Thou  come  unto  me,  Lord  ? 

Until  Thou  dost  appear, 
I  count  each  moment  for  a  day. 

Each  minute  for  a  year. 


IQi^  Evening.    T's.  Ratisbon.    Hard 

IVER  to  the  Saviour  cling; 

Trust  in  Him,  and  none  beside ; 
Never  let  an  earthly  thing 
Hide  from  thee  the  Crucified. 


E 


Ever  cast  on  Him  thy  care  ; 

He  invites  thee  so  to  do : 
Never  let  thy  soul  despair  ; 

He  will  surely  help  thee  through. 

Ever  live  as  in  the  view 
Of  the  day  of  glory,  near ; 

.Never  be  to  Christ  untrue. 

Thou  shalt  soon  His  glory  share. 


HYMNS    FOR    EVENING    WOUSIIII'  37? 

lizv  lOZNlNO.     w,  M.  St.  Michael's.    Mt.  Ephraim, 

THY  way,  not  mine,  0  Lord, 
However  dark  it  be  ; 
Oh,  lead  nic  by  thine  own  right  hand, 
Choose  out  the  path  for  me. 

Not  mine,  not  mine  the  choice. 

In  things  or  great  or  small ; 
Be  Thou  my  Guide,  my  Guard,  my  Strength, 

My  Wisdom,  and  my  All. 


M 


{2rr,  fiTKNlNG.     C.  M.  Belgium.     AmolcP», 

Y  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord, 
My  spirit  doth  rejoice  ; 
To  Thee  my  Saviour  and  my  God 
I  lift  my  joyful  voice. 

I  need  not  go  abroad  for  joys, 

I  have  a  feast  at  home ; 
My  sighs  are  turned  into  songs. 

My  heart  has  ceased  to  roam. 

Down  from  above  the  blessed  Dove 

Is  come  into  my  breast. 
To  witness  Thine  eternal  love, 

And  give  my  spirit  rest. 

My  God,  I'll  praise  Thee  while  I  live. 

And  praise  Thee  when  I  die, 
And  praise  Thee  when  I  rise  again, 

And  to  eternity. 

ISm  Evening.    8,  7.  Benediction.    Eaydn't. 

PRECIOUS  is  the  name  of  Jesus : 
AVho  can  half  its  worth  unfold  ? 
Far  beyond  angelic  praises. 
Sweetly  sung  to  harps  of  gold. 

Precious  when  to  Calvary  groaning, 

He  sustained  the  cursed  tree  ; 
Precious  wheo  His  death  atoning 

Made  an  end  of  sin  for  me, 
32* 


878  HYMNS    FOR    EVEKIKG    WCK35:i?. 

Precious  when  the  bloody  scourges 
Caused  the  sacred  drops  to  roll ; 

Precious  when  of  wrath  the  surges 
Overwhelmed  His  holy  soui. 

Precious,  Lord!  beyond  expressing. 
Are  Thy  beauties  all  divine  ; 

Glory,  honor,  power,  and  blessing, 
Be  henceforth  forever  Thine. 


14th  Evening.     C.  M.  French.     PrethneK 

JESUS,  the  very  thought  of  Thee 
With  sweetness  fills  my  breast; 
But  sweeter  far  Thy  face  to  see, 
And  in  Thy  presence  rest. 

Nor  voice  can  sing,  nor  heart  can  frame. 

Nor  can  the  memory  find 
A  sweeter  sound  than  Thy  blest  name, 

0  Saviour  of  mankind  ! 

Jesus,  our  only  joy  be  Thou, 

As  Thou  our  crown  wilt  be ; 
Jesus,  be  Thou  our  glory  now. 

And  through  eternity. 


B 


16tu  Evening.    S.  M.  Arran.    Ptagut, 

»LEST  be  Thy  love,  dear  Lord, 
That  taught  us  this  sweet  way. 
Only  to  love  Thee  for  Thyself, 
And  for  that  love  obey. 

Whether  we  sleep  or  wake. 
To  Thee  we  both  resign  ; 
By  night  we  see,  as  well  as  day, 
If  Thy  light  on  us  shine. 

Whether  we  live  or  die, 
Both  we  submit  to  Thee  ; 
In  death  we  live,  as  well  as  life. 
If  Thine  in  death  we  be. 


HTKN8    FOK    EV3;NIN3    \T0RSHIP.  878 


w 


16th  Evening.    6,  ',  4.  Mount  of  Olivea.     Vesper 

IIITK'  acd  luddy'c  'vy  Beloved, 
Ah  His  heavenly  beauties  shine  ; 
Nature  cau'L  produce    i  object, 
Nor  so  glorious,  so  diviue  ; 

He  hath  wholly 
Won  my  soul  to  realms  above. 

Such  as  find  Thee  find  such  sweetness 

Deep,  mysterious,  and  unknown  ; 
Far  above  all  worldly  pleasures, 

If  they  were  to  meet  in  one  ; 
My  Belovcid, 

O'er  the  mountains  haste  away. 


0 


17th  Evening.    C.  M.  Arlington     [,on^i<m 

GOD,  my  heart  is  fully  bent 
To  magnify  Thy  name  ; 
My  tongue  with  cheerful  songs  of  praiso 
Shall  celebrate  Thy  fame. 

Because  Thy  mercy's  boundless  height 

The  highest  heaven  transcends  ; 
And  far  beyond  th'  aspiring  clouds 

Thy  faithful  truth  extends. 

Be  Thou,  0  God,  exalted  high 

Above  the  starry  frame  ; 
And  let  the  world,  with  one  consent. 

Confess  Thy  glorious  najne. 

18th  Evening.    7's.  Qerman  Hymn.    Harfti 

CALMER  of  my  troubled  heart, 
Bid  my  unbelief  depart. 
Speak,  and  all  my  sorrows  cease  ; 
Speak,  and  all  my  soul  is  peace. 

Comfort  me,  whene'er  I  mourr. 
With  the  hope  of  Thy  return  ; 
And,  till  1  Thy  glory  see, 
Help  me  to  believe  in  Thee. 


380  HYMNS    FOR    EVENING     WORSHIP. 


19th  Evening.     C.  M.  Martyrdom.     SmynxL 

TRIUMPHANT,  Christ  ascends  on  high. 
The  glorious  work  complete  ; 
Sin,  death,  and  hell,  low  vanquished  lie 
Beneath  His  awful  feet. 


T 


There,  with  eternal  glory  crowned, 
The  Lord,  the  Conqueror,  reigns  ; 

His  praise  the  heavenly  choirs  resound, 
In  their  immortal  strains. 

Amid  the  splendors  of  His  throne, 

Unchanging  love  appears  ; 
The  names  He  purchased  for  His  own 

Still  on  His  heart  He  bears. 


P' 


20th  Evening.    8,  7,  4.  Vesper.     Eousaeau. 

►RAISE,  my  soul,  the  King  of  Heaveu, 
To  His  feet  thy  tribute  bring  : 
Ransomed,  healed,  restored,  forgiven, 
Who  like  thee  His  praise  should  sing  ? 

Praise  Him,  praise  Him, 
Praise  the  everlasting  King. 

Praise  Him  for  His  grace  and  favor 

To  our  fathers  in  distress  ; 
Praise  Him,  still  the  same  as  ever, 

Slow  to  chide,  and  swift  to  bless. 
Praise  Him,  praise  Him, 

Glorious  in  His  faithfulness. 

2  1st  Evening.    C.  M.  Stephens,    Hensbur,. 

HOW  many  are  Thy  thoughts  of  love  I 
Thy  mercies,  Lord,  how  great ! 
We  have  not  words  nor  hours  enough 
Their  numbers  to  repeat. 

When  I'm  afflicted,  poor,  and  low. 

And  light  and  peace  dej^art, 
My  God  beholds  mv  heavy  woe. 

And  bears  me  on  His  heart. 


HTMWS    FOR    EVENIKG    'WOKSHIP.  381 

22d  Evening.    L.  M.  Samson.     Winchetter. 

LET  every  heart  exulting  beat 
With  joy  at  Jesu's  uame  of  bliss  ; 
With  every  pure  delight  replete. 
And  passing  sweet  its  musio  is. 

Jesus  the  comfortless  consoles, 

Jesus  each  sinful  fever  quells  ; 
Jesus  the  power  of  hell  controls, 

Jesus  each  deadly  foe  repels. 

Oh,  speak  Ilis  glorious  name  abroad ! 

Jesus  let  every  tongue  confess  ; 
Let  every  heart  and  voice  accord 

The  Healer  of  our  souls  to  bless. 

23d  Evening.    7*8,  6  lines.  Eglon.    Madrid. 

GRACIOUS  Spirit,  dwell  with  me  — 
I  myself  would  gracious  be  ; 
And  with  words  that  help  and  heal, 
Would  Thy  life  in  mine  reveal ; 
And  with  actions  bold  and  meek, 
Would  for  Christ,  my  Saviour,  speak. 

Tender  Spirit,  dwell  with  me  — 
I  myself  would  tender  be  ; 
Shut  my  heart  up  like  a  flower. 
In  temptation's  darksome  hour  ; 
Open  it  when  shines  the  sun. 
And  His  love  by  fragrance  own. 


rT\\ 


24th  Evening.    S.  M.  Prague.    St.  MichaeVtk 

IHE  day,  O  Lord,  is  spent ; 
Abide  with  us  and  rest ; 
Our  hearts'  desires  are  fully  bent 
On  n:.ak!ng  Thee  our  guest. 

Our  sun  :3  s'rking  low  ; 

Our  day  i«  almost  o'er  : 
0  Sun  of  UightcousLess,  do  Thou 

Shine  on  us  evermore. 


882  HTMNS    FOR    EVENING    WORSHIP. 


25th  Evening.    C.  M.  Bedford.    Irish, 

Y  God,  I  know,  I  feel  Thee  mine, 
And  will  not  quit  my  claim 
Till  all  I  have  is  lost  in  Thine, 
And  all  renewed  I  am. 


M 


I  hold  Thee  with  a  trembling  hand. 

But  will  not  let  Thee  go 
Till  steadfastly  by  faith  I  stand, 

And  all  thy  goodness  know. 

Jesus,  Thine  all-victorious  love 

Shed  in  my  heart  abroad  ; 
Then  shall  my  feet  no  longer  rove. 

Rooted  and  fixed  in  God. 

26th  Evening.    C.  M.  Devizes.    Tivertom 

I  THINK  of  Thee,  my  God,  by  night. 
And  talk  of  Thee  by  day, 
Thy  love  my  treasure  and  delight. 
Thy  truth  my  strength  and  stay. 

The  day  is  dark,  the  night  is  long, 

Unblest  with  thoughts  of  Thee  ; 
And  dull  to  me  the  sweetest  song, 

Unless  its  theme  Thou  be. 

So  all  day  long,  and  all  the  night. 

Lord,  let  Thy  presence  be 
Mine  air,  my  breath,  my  shade,  my  light. 

Myself  absorbed  in  Thee. 

a?TH  Evening.    10,  10, 11,  11.  Portugal  Newk 

BEGONE,  unbelief;  my  Saviour  is  near, 
And  for  my  relief  will  surely  appear  ; 
By  prayer  let  me  wrestle,  and  He  will  perform ; 
With  Christ  in  the  vessel,  I  smile  at  the  storm. 

His  love  in  time  past  forbids  me  to  think 

He'll  leave  me  at  last  iu  trouble  to  siuk ; 

Each  sweet  Ebenezcr  I  have  in  review. 

Confirms  His  good  pleasure  to  help  me  quite  through. 


HTMNS    VOR    EVENING    WCRSIIIP.  383 

28th  Etenino.     C.  M.  Jackson's.     Bedford^ 

BEFORE  Thy  throne,  0  Lord  of  heaven, 
We  kneel  at  close  of  day  ; 
Look  on  Thy  children  from  on  high, 
And  hear  us  while  we  pray. 

The  sorrows  of  Thy  servants.  Lord, 
•      0  do  not  Thou  despise  ; 
But  let  the  incense  of  our  prayers 
Before  Thy  mercy  rise. 

Let  peace,  0  Lord,  Thy  peace,  0  God, 

Upon  our  souls  descend  ; 
From  midnight  fears  and  perils,  Thou, 

Our  trembling  hearts  defend. 


10th  Evening.     L.  M.  Montgomery.     AngeVa  Ey\ 

THOU  who  hast  known  the  care-worn  breast. 
The  weary  need  of  sleep's  deep  balm, 
Come,  Saviour,  ere  we  go  to  rest, 

And  breathe  around  Thy  perfect  calm. 

Thy  presence  gives  us  child-like  trust, 

Gladness  and  hope  without  alloy. 
The  faith  that  triumphs  o'er  the  dust. 

And  gleamings  of  eternal  joy. 

Stand  in  our  midst,  dear  Lord,  and  say, 
"  Peace  be  to  you  this  evening  hour  ;  " 

Then  all  the  struggles  of  the  day 
Vanish  before  Thy  lovirig  power. 

Blest  is  the  pilgrimage  to  heaven  ! 

A  little  nearer  every  night ! 
Christ  to  our  earthly  darkness  given. 

Till  in  His  glory  there  is  light. 


884  HYMNS    FOR    EVENING    "WORSHIP. 

30th  Evening.    L.  M.  Neapolis.    Wareham, 

OUGHT  of  life,  0  Saviour  dear, 
Before  we  sleep,  bow  down  Thine  ear ; 
Through  dark  and  day,  o'er  land  and  sea, 
We  have  no  other  hope  but  Thee. 

Oft  from  Thy  royal  road  we  part, 

Lost  in  the  mazes  of  the  heart :  • 

Our  lamps  put  out,  our  course  forgot^ 

We  seek  for  God  and  find  Him  not. 

What  sudden  sunbeams  cheer  our  sight ! 
What  dawning  risen  upon  the  night ! 
Thou  giv'st  Thyself  to  us,  and  we 
Find  Guide,  and  Path,  and  all  in  Thee. 


31  ST  Evening.    L.  M.  China.    Mdeombt 

THROUGH  day  and  darkness,  Saviour  dear, 
Abide  with  us  more  nearly  near  ; 
Till  on  Thy  face  we  lift  our  eyes, 
The  Sun  of  God's  own  Paradise. 

Praise  God,  our  Maker  and  our  Friend  ; 
Praise  Him  through  time,  till  time  shall  end  ; 
Till  psalm  and  song  His  name  adore. 
Through  Heaven's  great  day  of  Evermore. 


HYMNS    FOR    ETENINO    W0B8HIP.  585 


SECOND  SERIES  OF  EVENING  HYMNS 

Far  Hit  months  of  February,  April,  June,  Augtist,  October,  and 
December. 


IsT  Evening.    C.  M.  Stephens.    Ma^m. 

I  THINK  of  Thee,  my  God,  by  night, 
And  talk  of  Thee  by  day. 
Thy  love  my  treasure  and  delight, 
Thy  truth  my  strength  and  stay. 

The  day  is  dark,  the  night  is  long, 

Unblest  with  thoughts  of  Thee, 
And  dull  to  me  the  sweetest  song, 

Unless  its  theme  Thou  be. 

So  all  day  long,  and  all  the  night, 

Lord,  let  Thy  presence  be 
Mine  air,  my  breath,  my  shade,  my  light  — 

Myself  absorbed  in  Thee. 

2d  Evening.    L.  M.  Winchester.    N^polia. 

HOW  frail  and  fallible  am  I ! 
What  weakness  marks  my  changing  frame  1 
Yet  there  is  strength  and  comfort  nigh. 
For,  Jesus,  Thou  art  still  the  same. 

Thy  love,  immortal  and  divine, 

No  coldness  damps,  no  time  destroys ; 

Through  countless  ages  it  will  shine. 
Bright  source  of  everlasting  joys. 

Ob,  never  wilt  Thou  leave  tlie  soul 

That  flies  for  refuge  to  Thy  breast! 
Thy  love,  which  once  huth  made  me  whole. 

Shall  guide  me  to  eternal  rest. 
33 


386  HYMNS    FOR    EVENING    WORSHIP, 


8d  Ejtniwg.     7s.  Kiel.     Theodora 

E  were  lost,  but  we  are  found. 
Dead,  but  now  alive  are  we; 
We  were  sore  in  bondage  bound, 
But  our  Jesus  sets  us  free. 


W 


Strangers,  and  He  takes  us  in. 
Naked,  He  becomes  our  dress. 

Sick,  and  He  from  stain  of  sin 
Cleanses  with  His  righteousness. 

Therefore  will  we  sing  His  praise 
Who  His  lost  ones  hath  restored; 

Hearts  and  voices  both  shall  raise 
Hallelujahs  to  the  Lord. 


4th  Evening.    C.  M.  Ashley.    Lond<iK 

ALVATION!  oh,  the  joyful  sound! 
'Tis  pleasure  to  our  ears ; 
A  sovereign  balm  for  every  wcrad, 
A  cordial  for  our  feara. 


s- 


Buried  in  sorrow  and  in  sin, 

At  hell's  dark  door  we  lay ;  • 
But  we  arise,  by  grace  divine, 

To  see  a  heavenly  day. 

Salvation  !  let  the  echo  fly 

The  spacious  earth  around. 
While  all  the  armies  of  the  sky 

Conspire  to  raise  the  sound. 

6th  Evening.    L.  M.  Alfred.    Montgomery 

THE  ever-blessed  Son  of  God 
Went  up  to  Calvary  for  me. 
There  paid  my  debt,  there  bore  my  load 
In  His  own  body  on  the  tree. 

Jesus,  whose  dwelling  is  the  skies. 
Went  down  into  the  grave  for  me ; 

There  overcame  my  enemies. 
There  won  the  glorious  victory. 


HTMN8    ?0R    EVENING    WORSHIP.  387 


exH  Evening.     8,  7.  Idarin  ;-■■'«     2luniSH. 

"ERCY,  mercy,  God  the  Father  ! 
God  the  Son,  be  Thou  iny  plea ' 
God  the  Holy  Spirit,  comfort! 
Triune  God,  deliver  me  ! 


M" 


Not  my  sins,  0  Lord,  remember. 
Not  Thine  own  avenger  be  ; 

But,  for  Thy  great  tender  mercies. 
Saviour  God,  deliver  me  ! 

By  thy  cross,  and  by  Thy  passion. 

Bloody  sweat  and  agony. 
By  Thy  precious  death  and  burial, 

Saviour  God,  deliver  me  ! 

By  Thy  glorious  resurrection. 
Thine  ascert  in  heaven  to  be, 

By  the  Holy  Spirit's  coming. 
Saviour  God,  deliver  m«  ! 

In  all  time  of  tribulation. 
In  all  time  of  wealth,  in  the 

Hour  of  death,  and  day  of  judgmea% 
Saviour  God,  deliver  me  ! 


7th  Evening.    L.  M.  Vlverstone.    Pc^ertdaU 

ITH  broken  heart  and  contrite  pigh, 
A  trembling  sinner.  Lord,  I  cry ; 
Thy  pardoning  grace  is  rich  and  free ; 
O  God  !  be  merciful  to  me. 


w 


Nor  alms,  nor  deeds  that  I  have  done. 
Can  for  a  single  sin  atone ; 
To  Calvary  alone  I  flee  ; 
O  God !  be  merciful  to  me. 

And  when,  redeemed  from  sin  and  hell. 
With  all  the  ransomed  throng  I  dwell. 
My  raptured  song  shall  ever  be, 
God  has  been  merciful  to  me. 


388  nYMNS    FOB    EVENINa    WORSHIP. 

8iH  Evening.    C.  M.  Arnold! a.     AntCti 

I  KNEW  Thee  when  the  world  was  waste. 
And  Thou  alono  wast  fair, 
On  Thee  ray  heart  its  fondness  placed, 
My  soul  reposed  its  care. 

And  if  Thine  altered  hand  doth  now 

My  sky  with  sunshine  fill. 
Who  amid  all  so  fair  as  Thou, 

Oh,  let  me  know  Thee  still, — 

Still  turn  to  Thee,  in  days  of  light 

As  well  as  nights  of  care. 
Thou  brightest  amid  all  that's  bright  I 

Thou  fairest  of  the  fair  ! 

My  sun  is,  Lord,  where'er  Thou  art. 

My  cloud,  where  self  I  see, 
My  drought  in  an  ungrateful  heart, 

My  freshest  springs  in  Thee. 


9th  Evening.    C.  M.  Martyrdom,    French. 

^UR  longing  eyes  would  fain  behold 
That  bright  and  blessed  brow, 
Once  wrung  with  bitterest  anguish,  wear 
Its  crown  of  glory  now. 


o 


Why  linger  then  ?     Come,  Saviour,  come. 

Responsive  to  our  call ; 
Come,  claim  Thine  ancient  power,  and  reign 

The  Heir  and  Lord  of  all. 


lOrn  Evening.    L.  M.  China.    Piucak 

HE  reigns  !  ye  saints,  exalt  your  strains : 
Your  God  is  King,  your  Father  reigns; 
And  He  is  at  the  Fatlier's  side. 
The  Man  of  love,  the  Crucified. 


Come,  make  your  wants,  your  burdens  known; 
He  will  present  them  at  the  throne ; 
And  angol  bauds  are  waiting  there, 
Hia  messages  of  love  to  bear. 


T 


HYMKS    FOR    KVKMNG    WOESUIP.  389 

11th  Evening.     7's.  German  Ihjmn.    Uart'a 

piIOU  my  God  art  —  I  will  praise 
All  Thy  goodness  all  ray  days  ; 
I  will  even  for  Thy  rod 
Thank  Thee,  for  Thou  art  my  God ! 

Though  Thou  slay  me  I  will  trust, 
Praise  Thee,  even  from  the  dust, 
Prove,  and  tell  it  aa  I  prove, 
Thine  unutterable  love. 

Therefore  I  the  world  defy, 
While  Thy  hand  and  heart  are  nigh ; 
Now,  0  Lord,  my  helper  be. 
Send  us  now  prosperity. 


12th  Evening.    C.  M.  Irish    Bedfoid. 

Y  God,  my  everlasting  hope, 
I  live  upon  Thy  truth  ; 
Thine  hands  have  held  my  childhood  up, 
And  strengthened  all  my  youth. 


M' 


Still  has  my  life  new  wonders  seen 

Repeated  every  year : 
Behold  my  days  that  yet  remain, 

I  trust  them  to  Thy  care. 

Cast  me  not  off  when  strength  declines, 

When  hoary  hairs  arise  ; 
And  round  me  let  Thy  glory  shine. 

Whene'er  Thy  servant  dies. 


13Tn  EvENiiiG.    7'3.  Hart's.     PentonviUek 

,AY  by  day  the  manna  fell ; 
Oh  !  to  learn  this  lesson  well ; 
Still  by  constant  mercy  fed, 
Give  me.  Lord,  my  daily  bread. 


D 


"  Day  by  day,"  the  promise  reads; 
Daily  strength  for  daily  needs; 
Cast  foreboding  fears  away ; 
Take  the  manna  of  to-day. 


390  HYMNS    FOR    ETENINQ    WOBSHIP. 


L' 


14TI1  Evening.    L.  M.  Wareham.    BamatapU, 

OOK  up,  my  soul,  with  cheerful  eye, 
See  where  the  great  Redeemer  stands ; 
The  glorious  Advocate  on  high. 

With  precious  incense  in  His  hands. 

He  sweetens  every  humble  groan. 
He  recommends  each  broken  prayer ; 

Recline  thy  hope  on  Him  alone. 

Whose  power  and  love  forbid  despair. 

15111  Evening.    C.  M.  Mount  Pleasant    Belgiunt 

WORTHY  art  Thou,  0  dying  Lamb! 
Worthy,  0  bleeding  Lord ; 
Eternal,  Infinite,  I  AM, 
Ceaseless  to  be  adored  ! 

Fulness  of  riches  is  in  Thee  ; 

From  Thee  all  mercies  spring; 
And  grace  and  love,  divine  and  free, 

And  power  enlivening. 

Out  of  the  deep  of  every  heart. 

Let  praise  to  Thee  ascend  : 
Till  Thou  to  heaven  shalt  us  translate, 

Where  praises  never  end. 


H 


IBth  Evening.    7's.  Milan.    Kiel 

OLY  GHOST,  with  power  divine. 
Cleanse  this  guilty  heart  of  mine; 
Long  has  sin  without  control 
Held  dominion  o'er  my  soul. 

Holy  Ghost,  with  joy  divine. 
Cheer  this  saddened  heart  of  mine ; 
Bid  my  many  woes  depart. 
Heal  my  wounded,  bleeding  heart. 

Holy  Spirit,  all  divine. 
Dwell  within  this  heart  of  mine ; 
Cast  down  every  idol  throne ; 
Reign  supreme,  and  reign  alone. 


c 


HYMNS    FOR    EVENING    WORSHIP.  -iJi 

17th  Evening.    L.  M.  Pascal.    Old  Ei:r,d::rt 

lOME,  let  us  sing  the  song  of  songs,  — 
The  saints  in  laeaven  began  the  strf.!r>.  -- 
The  homage  which  to  Ciirist  belongs : 
"  Worthy  the  Lamb,  for  lie  was  slain  ! 

Slain  to  redeem  us  by  His  blood, 

To  cleanse  from  every  sinful  stain. 
And  make  us  kings  and  priests  to  God  ; 

•♦  Worthy  the  Lamb,  for  He  was  slain  I  ** 

To  Him  who  suffered  on  the  tree. 

Our  souls,  at  His  soul's  price,  to  gain. 

Blessing,  and  praise,  and  glory  be  : 

"  Worthy  the  Lamb,  for  He  was  slain  ! " 

ISin  Evening.    C.  M.  Tiverton.    Farrant 

EXPAND  Thy  wings,  celestial  Dove, 
Brood  o'er  our  nature's  night ; 
On  our  disordered  spirits  move. 
And  let  there  now  be  light. 

God,  through  Himself,  we  then  shall  know, 

If  Thou  within  us  shine  ; 
And  sound,  with  all  Thy  saints  below. 

The  depths  of  love  divine. 

19Tn  Evening.    L.  M.  Neapolis.    DkU  i^irt^H 

LORD,  when  my  thoughts  with  wonder  roll 
O'er  the  sharp  sorrows  of  Thy  soU'. 
And  read  my  Maker's  broken  laws. 
Repaired  and  honored  by  Thy  cross,  — 

When  I  behold  death,  hell,  and  sin. 
Vanquished  by  that  dear  blood  of  Thine, 
And  see  the  Man  that  groaned  and  died 
Sit  glorious  by  His  Father's  side, — 

My  passions  rise  and  soar  above, 

I'm  winged  with  faith,  and  fired  with  love , 

Fain  would  I  reach  eternal  things. 

And  learn  th'^  notes  that  G'^briel  sings. 


392  HYMNS    FOK    EVENING    WOKSHIJ?. 

20th  Evening.     S.  M.  Prague.     St.  MicJuieTt 

rr^HOU  art  gone  up  on  high, 
JL      To  mansions  in  the  skies ; 
And  round  Thy  throne  unceasingly 
The  songs  of  praise  arise. 

Thou  art  gone  up  on  high  ; 
But  Thou  didst  first  come  down, 
Through  earth's  most  bitter  agony 
To  pass  unto  Thy  crown. 

But  we  are  lingering  here 
With  sin  and  care  oppressed  ; 
Lord,  send  Thy  promised  Comforter, 
And  lead  us  to  Thy  rest. 

21sT  Etentng.    C.  M.  Arlington,    Anrin. 

THERE  is  a  Shepherd  kind  and  strong, 
Still  watchful  for  His  sheep  ; 
Nor  shall  the  infernal  lion  rend 
Whom  He  vouchsafes  to  keep. 

Blest  Jesus,  intercede  for  us, 

That  we  may  fall  no  more  ; 
Oh,  raise  us,  when  we  prostrate  lie, 

And  comfort  lost  restore. 


22d  E'^ning.    S.  M.  Arran.    BTiirland 

lOME,  Lord,  and  tarry  not ; 

Bring  the  long-looked-for  day ; 
Oh,  why  these  years  of  waiting  here. 
These  ages  of  delay  ? 


c 


Come,  for  Thy  saints  still  wait ; 
Daily  ascends  their  sigh  ; 
The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come  ; 
Dost  Thou  not  hear  the  cry  ? 

Come,  for  creation  groans, 
Impatient  of  Thy  stay. 
Worn  out  with  these  long  years  cf  ill. 
These  ages  of  delay. 


HYMNS    70R    EVENING    ■WORSHIP.  395 

23d  Evening.    Vs.  Kiel.    Rctiabc-i 

IIOUT,  believer,  to  thy  God  ; 
IIo  hath  once  the  vine-press  trod, 
Peace  procured  by  blocd  divine, 
Cancelled  all  thy  sins  and  mine. 


S' 


Here  thy  bleeding  wounds  are  healed, 
Sin  condemned  and  pardon  sealed  ; 
Grace  her  empire  still  maintains  ; 
Love  without  a  rival  reigns. 

In  thy  Surety  thou  art  free  ; 
His  dear  hands  were  pierced  for  thee  ; 
With  His  spotless  vesture  on, 
Holy  as  the  Holy  One  ! 

Oh,  the  heights  and  depths  of  grace  I 
Shining  with  meridian  blaze  ; 
Here  the  sacred  records  show 
Sinners  black,  but  comely  too. 


0 


24th  Evening.    8,  7,  4.  Vesper.    Bousteatk 

THOU  long  expected  !     Weary 
Waits  mine  anxious  soul  for  Thee  ; 
Life  is  dark  and  earth  is  dreary 
Where  Thy  light  I  do  not  see  ; 

0  my  Saviour, 
When  wilt  Thou  return  to  me  ? 


Long,  too  long,  in  sin  and  sadness. 
Far  away  from  Thee  I  pine, 

When,   oh,  when,  shall  I  the  gladnesa 
Of  thy  spirit  feel  in  mine  ? 

0  my  Saviour, 
When  shall  I  be  wholly  Thine  ? 

Nearer  is  my  soul's  salvation  ; 

Spent  the  night,  the  day  at  hand  ; 
Keep  me  in  my  lowly  station. 

Watching  for  Thee,  till  I  stand, 
0  my  Saviour. 

In  Thy  bright  and  promised  land. 


894  HTMKS    FOK    EVENINO    WOKSHIP.      . 

26rfl  lIV'SiW^G.    7'8,  Eatishon.     German  TTymn, 

IN  the  Lord  I  put  my  trust ; 
He  is  gentle,  He  is  just. 
He  my  strength  is.  He  my  song, 
And  my  crown  will  be  ere  long. 

He  may  chasten  and  correct. 
But  He  never  can  neglect ; 
May  in  faithfulness  reprove. 
But  He  ne'er  can  cease  to  love. 

While  in  Him  my  trust  is  true, 
Fear  not  I  what  man  can  do  ; 
Joy  and  health  with  me  abide 
While  the  Lord  is  on  my  side. 


26th  Evening.    8,  7.  Eaydn':.    Benediction, 

THOUGH  the  Bridegroom  be  delaying, 
Yet  His  hand  is  on  the  door  ; 
When  He  comes.  His  second  staying 
Will  be  with  us  evermore. 


T 


0  my  blessed  Saviour,  yearning 
As  my  spirit  doth  for  Thee, 

May  my  lamp  be  bright  and  burning 
When  Thou  comest  unto  me. 


27th  Evening.    C.  M.  Bedford.    Eensbury 

^OR  me  vouchsafed  th'  unspotted  Lafkib 
His  Father's  wrath  to  bear  ; 
I  see  His  feet,  and  read  my  name 
Engraven  deeply  there. 


F* 


Fi,rth  from  the  Lord  His  gushing  blood 

In  purple  currents  ran  ; 
And  every  wound  proclaimed  aloud 

His  wondrous  love  to  man. 

For  me  the  Saviour's  blood  avails, 

Almighty  to  atone  ; 
The  hands  He  gave  to  piercing  nails 

Shall  lead  me  to  His  throne. 


HTMN8    FOn    EVENING    WOKSHIP.  8*1  > 

28th  Evening.    7'8.  liatisbon.    Il-zrf^ 

SONS  of  peace,  redeemed  by  blood. 
Raise  your  songs  to  Zion's  God ; 
Made  from  condemnation  free, 
Grace  triumphant  sing  with  me. 

Calvary's  wonders  let  us  trace. 
Justice  magnified  in  grace  ; 
Mark  the  purple  streams,  and  say. 
Thus  my  sins  were  washed  away. 

Wrath  divine  no  more  we  dread  ; 
Vengeance  smote  our  Surety's  head  : 
Legal  claims  are  fully  met ; 
Jesus  p9.id  the  dreadful  debt. 

a9TH  Ev2n:ng.    C.  M.  Evan.     Lancattet 

OH,  see  how  Jesus  trusts  Himself 
Unto  our  childish  love, 
As  though  by  His  free  ways  with  us 
Our  earnestness  to  prove  ! 

His  sacred  name  a  common  word 

On  earth  He  loves  to  hear  ; 
There  is  no  majesty  in  Him 

Which  love  may  not  come  near. 

The  light  of  love  is  round  His  feet. 

His  paths  are  never  dim  ; 
And  He  comes  nigh  to  us  when  we 

Dare  not  come  nigh  to  Him. 

Let  us  be  simple  with  Him,  then. 

Not  backward,  stiif,  or  cold, 
As  though  our  Bethlehem  could  be 

What  Sina  was  of  old. 


396 


HYMNS    FOR    EYENINQ    WORSHIP. 


30th  Evening.    C.  M, 


Jacks  "m's     nenshui^ 

JESUS,  my  Saviour,  is  enough 
When  all  is  gone  and  spent ; 
He  fills  and  over-fills  my  soul ; 
Thus  I  am  pure  content. 

My  covenant  with  flesh  and  blood. 

And  every  sinful  thing. 
Is  broken,  and  is  steadfast  made 

With  Jesus  Christ  my  King. 

Vanish  from  me,  ye  objects  vain. 

Ail  scenes  of  lower  kind  ; 
A  pleasure  equal  to  my  wish 

In  God  alone  I  find. 


Sl^V   EVJJNINQ.     T;.  M. 


Melcojnbe.     WinchitU 


I  THIRST,  but  not  as  once  I  did. 
The  vain  delights  of  earth  to  share  : 
Thy  wounds,  Immanuel,  all  forbid 

That  I  should  seek  my  pleasures  there. 

It  was  the  sight  of  Thy  dear  cross 

First  weaned  my  soul  from  earthly  things. 

And  taught  me  to  esteem  as  dross 

The  mirth  of  fools  and  pomp  of  kings. 

Dear  fountain  of  delight  unknown, 
No  longer  sink  below  the  brim ; 

But  overflow,  and  pour  me  down 
A  living  and  life-giving  streav 


INDEX. 


OEKEBI8. 

JOSHUA. 

2  crnLOicout:. 

Olup.  ft  VerM 

Page 

Chap.  &  Verae 

FbRB 

Ch&p.  &  Verse 

riif 

L4.     .     . 

.     .        6 

i.  7 

132 

XXX.  27     .     . 

.    £10 

i.  4      . 

.     .     192 

vi.  26  .     .     .     . 

150 

xxxl.  21    .     . 

.       15 

i.  5.    . 

.     .     193 

XX. 3    .     .     .     . 

35 

xxxii.  31  .     . 

.     182 

iii.  8     . 

.     .     184 

Fiii.  9  . 

.     .     178 

JUDGES. 

NEIIKMIAD 

. 

viii.  9  . 

.     .       73 

xr.  18  .     .    .    . 

21 

111.  8     .     .     . 

.     236 

viii.  11 

.     .      29 

Iii.  15  .     .     . 

.     103 

ix.  14  . 

.     227 

KUTH. 

ix.  20  .     .     . 

.      47 

ix.  15  . 

.     .     228 

11.  3      .... 

801 

Kxix.  26 

.     321 

11.  14    .     .     .     . 

79 

Kxxii.  12 

.     109 

11.  17    .     .     .     . 

216 

X.3      ... 

.     236 

XXXV. 18 

.     .      68 

xlii.  2  . 

.     142 

1  SAMUEL. 

xlii.  8 

4 

i.  27     .     .     .     . 

265 

JOS. 

xlvi.  3,  4 

.     133 

XV.  22  ...     . 

294 

1.5.    . 

.     C.62 

xviil.  17   .     .     . 

111 

i.  9.     . 

22 

EXODC 

8. 

XXX.  13     .     .     . 

72 

vii.  12 

262 

Ui.  7    ,    . 

.     229 

xiii.  23 

.     189 

vii.  12  .     . 

.     181 

2  SAMUEL. 

xiv.  1  . 

.       70 

xvii.  12     .     . 

.     107 

i.  26     .     .     .     . 

32 

xiv.  14 

127 

xxii.  6 

.     239 

11.  26    .     .    .    . 

307 

xix.  26 

lor 

xxxiv.  20 

.     291 

ix.  8    .     .     .     . 

148 

xxii.  21 

.     129 

XXXV.  8     .     . 

.     336 

xl.  2     .     .     .     . 

17 

xxiii.  3 

326 

xvlii.  23    .     .     . 

81 

XXXV. 10 

295 

LBVITIC 

us. 

xxl.  10      .     .     . 

91 

xxxvl.  2 

12 

i.  4      ... 

.     104 

xxxvlii.  16    . 

251 

xiii.  13      .     . 

.      67 

1  KIKGS. 

xxxviii.  31    . 

81 

xix.  36      .     . 

.     250 

xvli.  16     .     .     . 

59 

xviil.  40   .     .     . 

200 

PSALMS. 

NDMBE] 

SB. 

xvlll.  43    .    .     . 

274 

V.  8      ... 

257 

Ti.  4    .     .     . 

.     244 

xix.  4  .     .     .     . 

140 

X.  16    . 

118 

xi.  23  .     . 

. 

.     160 

xi.  I      . 

249 

xii.  1    .     . 

. 

.     282 

2  KINGS. 

xviil.  35   . 

100 

xxi.  17     . 

. 

.     109 

ill.  16,  17      .     . 

137 

xlx.  13 

76 

xxxii.  6    . 

, 

.     219 

vi.  9     .     .     .     . 

13 

xxiii.  3 

326 

xxiii.  4      . 

99 

DEUTEKOH 

OMY. 

1  CHROMCLES 

xxiv.  4 

187 

i.  38     .     .     . 

.     263 

iv.  22  .     .     .     . 

"  33 

xxiv.  8      . 

840 

xxxii.  5    . 

. 

.     859 

ix.  33  .     .     .     . 

214 

vxv.  6 

191 

84 


897 


898 

PSALMS. 
Chap.  &    «rte 
XXV.   1  ( 

xxvi.  V 
xxvii.   ' 
xxviii.  I 
xxviii.  ft 
xxxi.  4 
xxxi.  6 
xxxil.  5 
XXXV.  3 
xxxvi.  8 
xxxvi.  9 
xxxvi.  9 
xxxviii.  k 
xxxix.  1 
xlii.  9  . 
xlv.  8  . 
xlvi.  1 
xlvii.  4 
li.  14   . 
Ivi.  9    . 
Ixi.  2   . 
-xi.  7  . 
Ixii.  8  . 
Ixv,  11 
Ixviii.  10 
Ixviii.  28 
Ixxii.  19 
Ixxiv.  16 
Lxxvi.  3 
Ixxxiv.  11 
xci.  5  . 
xciii.  2 
c.  2      . 
c.  4      . 
ci.  1     . 
cii.  13,  14 
ciii.  3  . 
cvii.  8  .     . 
cix.  4  .    . 
cxiii.  8 
cxviii.  8    . 
cxviii.  12 
cxix.  37    , 
cxix.  53    . 
cxix.  57    . 
cxxxix.  17 
cxlviii.  14 
cxlLx.  4 


102 
267 
168 
185 
106 
234 
242 
260 

65 

64 
311 
292 
165 

74 
204 

46 
124 
318 

98 
196 
268 

43 
247 
215 
345 
322 
220 
360 
163 
277 
113 
325 
9 
312 
268 
199 
152 
388 

15 
209 

67 

97 

20 
309 
134 
121 
261 
120 


INDEX. 

PROVERBS 

IBAIAH. 

Chap.  &  Verse 

Page 

Chap.  &  Yeiat 

Pagt 

XV.  33       .     . 

96 

xli.  9   . 

.     .     138 

xvi.  20      .     . 

126 

xliii.  6 

.     .     296 

xviii.  12    .     . 

66 

xliii.  24 

.     .     144 

xxiv.  33,  34  . 

331 

xliv.  22 

.     ,       41 

xxvii.  23  .     . 

355 

xlv.  19 

.     .     236 

XXX.  8       .     . 

165 

xlviii.  8 

.     .     .     353 

XXX.  26     .     . 

327 

li.  3      . 

.     .     153 

liii.  6   . 

.     .     .      94 

ECCLESIASTES. 

liii.  10 

.     .      93 

i.  7 .     .     .     . 

302 

liv.  1    . 

.     .     243 

i.  14     .     .    . 

339 

liv.  11      . 

.     .     352 

ix.  4    .     .     . 

276 

liv.  12 

.     .     350 

X.  9      ... 

324 

Ivii.  18 

.     .     245 

xi.  6     .     .     . 

266 

Iviii.  11 

.     .     .    864 

Ixii.  12 

.     .       71 

CANTICLES 

Ixiv.  6 

.     .     303 

i.  2       ... 

8 

i.  4       ... 

1 

JEREMIAH. 

i.  4       .... 

23 

ii.  18    . 

.     .     203 

i.  7       ... 

34 

viii.  20 

.     .     368 

i.  16     .     .     . 

143 

XV. 21  . 

.     .     286 

ii.  1      ... 

122 

xvii.  14 

.     .     245 

ii.  12    .     .     . 

116 

xxxii.  17 

.     .     183 

ii.  16,  17  .     . 

171 

xlix.  23 

.     .     253 

iii.  4     .     .     . 

275 

iv.  12  .     .     . 

7 

LAMENTATIONS. 

V.  1       .... 

170 

iii.  21  . 

.     .     149 

V.  2      .... 

270 

iii.  40. 

.     .      90 

V.  4      .... 

273 

V.  6      .... 

89 

EZEEIEL. 

V.  11    .     .     .     . 

304 

iii.  7     . 

.     .     119 

vii.  11,  12     . 

130 

xvi.  6  . 

.     .     190 

viii.  6       ... 

289 

xvi.  10 

.     .    378 

viii.  13      .     .     . 

306 

XX.  41  . 

.     .      88 

xxxiii.  22 

.     .        6 

ISAIAH. 

XXXV. 10 

.     .      48 

ii.  3      .... 

95 

xxxvi.  26 

.     .     230 

iii.  10  ...     . 

105 

xxvi.  4      .     .     . 

188 

DAI 

aEL. 

xxxii.  18  .     .     . 

346 

iii.  16,  18 

.    .    177 

xxxiii.  16      .     . 

316 

ix.  8     . 

.     .     166 

xxxiii.  17      .     . 

323 

ix.  26  . 

.     .       16 

xxxvi.  5    .     .     . 

283 

X.  11     . 

.     .     278 

xl.  6     .     .     .     . 

361 

xl.  9     .     .    .     . 

330 

HO 

SBA. 

xl.  11  .     .     . 

135 

V.  7      .     . 

849 

xl.  11  .     .     .    . 

293 

v.  15    . 

208 

xU.  1   .     .     .     . 

2 

X.  12    . 

.     .      92 

IKBEX. 


399 


HOSBk. 

HARB 

. 

JOHN 

. 

Ch«p.  «i  Vtn*                   P«(fe 

Chan.  *  Verne                     Page 

Chip.  &  Verse 

P»K» 

xi.  4 141 

i.   18       ....       173 

xii.  2    .      . 

.    328 

riu.  5  .     .     .    .    807 

viii.  38 

80 

xii.  21 

.     108 

ix.  15  . 

241 

xiii.  5  .     . 

.     300 

JOEL. 

ix.  23  . 

222 

xiv.  26      . 

.     288 

i.8       ....     194 

ix.  23  . 

209 

XV.  4    .     . 

.       69 

u.  8 201 

X.  21    . 

64 

XV.  9    .     . 

.     .      78 

ki.  11    .     .     .     .     207 

xiv.  14 

315 

xvi.  16 

.     298 

XV.  23 

233 

xvii.  24     . 

.       82 

JONAH. 

xvi.  9  . 

198 

xix.  6  .     . 

.     205 

L3      ....      56 

xvi.  9  . 
xvi.  16 

223 
281 

ACTS 

MICAB. 

i.8       .     . 

.     814 

r.  2      ....      68 

LUKE. 

viii.  30      . 

.     .      62 

ii.  18 20 

viii.  37      . 

.     .     24C 

NAHUM. 

ii.  19    . 

27 

X.  38    .     . 

.     211 

i.8       ....      53 

ii.  20    . 

28 

xiv.  22      . 

.     .     147 

iii.  4    . 

3 

xvi.  14      . 

.     347 

BABAKKUK. 

vi.  12  . 

819 

xxvii.  23  . 

.     101 

i.8     ...     .      256 

viii.  42 

217 

viii.  47 

45 

ROMANS. 

HAGOAI. 

x.  21    . 

84 

iii.  31  .     . 

.       26 

U.  17    .     .     .     .     218 

x.  40    . 

24 

vi.  0     .     . 

.     151 

xi.  4     . 

40 

viii.  1  .     . 

44 

ZECOARIAH. 

XV,  2    . 

250 

viii.  23 

.     341 

i.  12,  13   .     .     .      55 

XV.  18 

49 

viii.  23      . 

.     231 

i.  20     .     .     . 

312 

xviii.  1 

.    320 

viii.  23      . 

170 

iv.  10  .     .     . 

333 

xix.  40 

83 

viii.  30      . 

.     287 

xi.  2  .       .     . 

272 

xxii.  32 

11 

viii.  33      . 

.     210 

xxii.  46 

299 

viii.  34      . 

.     112 

MATTUBW 

xxiv.  27 

18 

ix.  15  .     . 

.     832 

i.  21     .     .     . 

39 

xxiv.  16 

305 

xii.  2    .     .     . 

.     290 

ui.  10  . 

63 

xxiv.  33,  ; 

15 

.     140 

IT.  1       . 

51 

xxiv.  38 

297 

1  CORINTI 

HANS. 

V.  9      . 

77 

xxiv.  46 

19 

i.  30     .     . 

.     271 

ix.  6    . 

224 

ii.  12    .     .     . 

.       60 

X.  25    . 

.     317 

JOHN. 

vii.  20       . 

.     180 

X.  34    . 

864 

i.  14     .     .     .     .     131 

ix.  22  .     . 

.     344 

xi.  25  . 

36 

i.  41     . 

50 

xii.  20 

202 

iii.  13  . 

85 

2  CORINTI 

I  LANS. 

xiv.  30 

14 

iv.  48  . 

.    248 

xi.  22  .     . 

.     158 

XV.  23 

285 

V.  8      . 

128 

XV.  27 

87 

V.  39    . 

101 

QALATIi 

LN8. 

xix.  le 

164 

V.  39    . 

102 

ii.  20   .     . 

,     361 

XX.  8    . 

.    357 

vi.  37  . 

212 

V.  18    .     . 

.     262 

xxii.  42 

366 

vi.  37   . 

213 

xxiv.  39 

308 

X.  9      . 

354 

EPHESIi 

LN8. 

xxviii.  1 

197 

X.  27    . 

204 

i.  7.     .    . 

.     834 

zxviii.  20 

363 

xi.  4     . 

232 

i.  11     .    . 

.      80 

400 


INDEX. 


ZPBE8IAN8 
Cha(i.  It  Verte 

i.  Id,  20 
iii.  8  . 
iii.  8  . 
iii.  17  . 
V.  25    . 


PHtLipp: 

..  27     . 
ii.  8     .    , 
iii.  10  .     , 


ANS. 


Pugf, 

254 

62 

237 

238 

80 


146 
155 

329 


COLOSSIANS. 

iii.  24  .     .     .     .     348 

1  THES8ALOMAM6. 

ii.  18    .     .     .     .    221 

2  THESSALOHIANS. 

ii.  16   .     .     .     .    225 

1  TUfOTHT. 
U.  IS   .      .      .      .      156 


2  TIMOTHT. 

Cbip  &  Verse 

i.  9  .... 
ii.  12  .  .  .  . 
ii.  19  .  .  .  . 
iy.  IS  .     .     .     . 


HEBREWS. 


ii.  18 

ix.  20 
xi.  13  , 

xii.  11 
xii.  23 
xii.  27 


V.  16    . 


1  PETEH. 


i.  23 

.     .     . 

ii.  7 

.     .     . 

2  PETER. 

1.4 


Pace 

164 
186 
174 
196 


279 
313 
123 
139 
136 
175 


37 


125 
61 


179 


i  JOHM 

Chap.  St  Vent 

rtt 

i.  7       ... 

246 

i.  7       .     .     .     . 

206 

ii.  1      .     .     .     . 

280 

iv.  8     .     .     .    . 

167 

ii\j isr-v 

REVELATIOS 

i.  13      .      . 

.     84S 

ii.  4      .     . 

.     .      42 

iii.  7     .     . 

.     167 

iii.  14  .     . 

.     110 

iii.  19  .    . 

.     169 

iii.  20  .     . 

.     116 

iv.  4     .     . 

.     266 

V.  6      .     . 

.     114 

xi.  12  .     . 

.      38 

xii.  7   .     . 

.     337 

xvi.  16      . 

.     117 

xxi.  1  .     . 

.    861 

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